Leaving Winter
by starknakedgendry
Summary: "So you're telling me I have to go live with their sons and my brothers in King's Landing?" The Starks are moving, much to Arya's annoyance. The best option is to stay with the Baratheons, where her brothers are currently staying, along with the three Baratheon brothers. Modern AU.
1. Chapter 1

The house was quiet.

It hardly ever was, considering Arya Stark has four brothers, a sister and a cousin. It was only this quiet when everyone was out of the house, or if there was trouble.

Trouble. _Am I in trouble again or am I in trouble again? _

Everything was so quiet. Arya closed the front door and dragged her tired feet across the living room. It was in order, as usual. She was pretty sure Miss Mordane and the rest of the staff kept everything clean and organized. Next, she peeked in the dining room, pool area and the kitchen, where her Mom usually was. Still, no one was around.

The Stark mansion was modern and spacious. Everything was black and white. The furniture, while obviously on the costly side, was kept at a minimum. Despite the spacious area, no one would say it was cold and unused. For the Starks, this was home.

She decided to check the second floor to see if she'd have more success in finding anyone. She thought it was weird that the house seemed empty at 5 pm on a Friday. It usually meant that the house would be bursting with crazy energy because Friday meant tomorrow was a no-school-day.

"Oh, you're home."

Arya almost jumped out of her skin when her 14 year old brother, Bran, appeared out of nowhere.

"Jesus Christ on a bicycle! Bran!" Arya exclaimed, holding a hand to her chest, as if to slow down her heart's furious beating. She glared at Bran, but he only seemed to be amused by her reaction.

"Sorry," he replied, looking a bit sheepish but still grinning. "I was about to go down when I found you snooping around."

"I wasn't snooping around, dork!" came Arya's retort, rolling her eyes in a very Arya Stark fashion. "Where's everybody anyway?"

Bran pointed towards Sansa's room.

"Is Sansa in trouble?"

Bran shook his head.

"Uh," Arya continued, shuffling her feet in a nervous manner. "Am _I_ in trouble?"

Bran shrugged.

Arya's brows furrowed. She doesn't think she has done anything to rile up her parents this week. Or has she?

"Maybe you should just get your butt in there, Xena. Mom's just talking to Sansa."

She playfully smacked his arm. "Stop calling me Xena!"

Bran laughed. "I don't know, Arya. Sometimes you're too much of a princess…a warrior princess, that is." With that, Bran turned and quickly went down the stairs. Where he was going, Arya had no idea. But what she did know was that her heart started picking up speed again. Nonetheless, she walked towards Sansa's room. The door was ajar, but she knocked anyway.

"Oh honey, you're home," Catelyn Stark said, smiling at her youngest daughter. "Come in here, please. I need to talk to you."

Arya slowly went in the room and sat on Sansa's bed. She pursed her lips to keep herself from saying comments that she knew would annoy the hell out of her sister. And her mother. But Sansa saw anyway; saw how Arya's eyes rolled and how her sister pursed her lips because of her pink bed. And pink carpet. And pink walls. And pink fuzzy slippers.

_Fucking pink Barbie playhouse! _Arya thought.

Her mom and sister were folding clothes and stacking them in a neat pile inside Sansa's suitcase. She has three suitcases full to bursting already. She doubt the one they were working on would be the last of them.

"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" Arya asked.

Sansa took three more pairs of shoes from the rack and placed them in her shoe luggage (leave it to Sansa Stark to have a shoe luggage). She paused at the task for a moment and looked at Arya. "My flight is at 2:30pm, so I have to be at the airport earlier."

They were silent for a while. Her mom and sister continued with the packing, while Arya leafed through the magazines that were scattered on Sansa's bed. Fifteen more minutes passed before Sansa went out of the room in search for her favorite shorts. Arya stated that they must be in the laundry, but _forgetting_ to mention that she _borrowed_ the shorts last weekend. She _forgot_ to mention it to Sansa and _forgot _to return them in her closet.

"Sweetheart," Catelyn said, sitting beside Arya on the bed. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her daughter's ear and smiled. "Dad and I have to tell you something, but it seems like I will be the only one to break the news since Dad's coming home late tonight."

Arya just stared at her mother, although her throat felt as dry as a desert. She tried hard to wrack her brain for any trouble she must have caused but she couldn't think of any. How surprising.

Catelyn took a deep breath before continuing, "There are problems with the company at Storm's End, so Dad has to move there for a while."

Arya raised her brows in question. "Define _for_ _a while_."

Catelyn sighed. "Well…at most is a year."

Arya stood abruptly from the bed. "What? Dad's leaving us for a year?"

Catelyn shook her head. "Since Sansa's going away for dance school, and Robb, Jon and Theon are now living in their own apartment, it's just you, Bran and Rickon at home. Dad doesn't want us to be apart for too long."

Arya was still confused. "How often are we flying over to visit him?"

"Oh honey," Catelyn took Arya's hand and squeezed tightly. "We're going with him to Storm's End."

* * *

"This is unfair, Dad! You know I have a life here! My friends are here! I go to school here! I grew up here! How can you make us all leave Winterfell?" Arya argued while she paced back and forth in the living room.

"Don't be a drama queen, it's just for a year." Sansa said, rolling her pretty blue eyes at Arya.

"Shut up! You're going to a dance school in the Vale! Why would you care if I get shipped to Storm's End?" Arya snapped.

"Arya!" Catelyn said disapprovingly. "Stop talking to your sister like she's stupid! I swear your behavior is getting out of hand!"

"But she _is_ stupid!" Arya replied.

Ned Stark pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep, calming breath. "Girls, sit down. Please."

Sansa sat beside Catelyn while Arya took a seat beside Ned.

"Arya," Ned started, turning to face his youngest daughter. He knew she loved this place, but he also didn't want to be away from his family for too long. Especially not when three of them were already living away from home and one more is going away tomorrow. "I feel that this would be best for our family. I have to fix a problem with the company down in Storm's End, and I can't do that if I have to worry about the rest of the family here at Winterfell. Please, do this for me."

Ned Stark rarely asked them for anything but right now, he was practically begging Arya to go with this decision. Arya was a father's girl through and through, and she didn't have the heart to say no to him.

Arya sighed heavily. "Anything for you, Dad."

* * *

"What the fuck? Who took my car keys?!" Gendry Baratheon shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

He whirled around and found his youngest brother, Tommen, looking up at him with the car keys in hand. "I didn't take them, Gendry, I swear! It was…" Tommen paused, looking around to make sure they were alone.

"Joffrey hid them."

Gendry sighed. "Thanks, bud. I have to go, I'm late for class." He added, ruffling his brother's hair before walking off to grab his jacket.

Tommen stood there, staring at him with wide eyes. He looked like a lost puppy. Gendry smiled and knelt in front of him. "Don't worry, I won't tell Joffrey you gave them back."

The young boy looked relieved. "Okay."

Gendry got back up and stood at the foot of the stairs. "Get down here, dickwads…" He looked at Tommen and shrugged before looking back up the stairs. "We're running late! Come on, you Starks!"

Soon, several pairs of feet came bounding down the stairs, almost crashing down Gendry. "Oi! Watch it, dickwad!"

"Watch your mouth, bro! Tommen's in the room, in case you don't know." Jon Stark said, shrugging into his jacket.

"What's a dickwad?" Tommen asked, his face scrunched up in thought.

Robb laughed. "A dickwad is a handsome man." The second Stark brother explained.

Tommen looked thoughtful for a moment. "Gendry's the most dickwad, then? Because he's the most handsome among you?"

Everyone laughed except for Gendry, who looked like he wanted to punch Robb in the face. "It doesn't mean _handsome_, Tommen. It's not a nice word, so don't go using it around Mom and Dad."

"Come on, guys," said Jon. "We're running late already. We'll see you later, alright. Tommen?"

With that, the four adults rushed out and piled into Gendry's black '67 Impala.

* * *

Arya had trouble sleeping that night.

She already agreed to moving with the family to Storm's End, but she couldn't shake the feeling of dread about actually doing it. She grew up in Winterfell; she loved it here, where everything seemed relaxed and stress-free, and the weather was cold even during the day, and the weather at night brings evening chills. She is a Stark of Winterfell, and she couldn't think of anything that could make her say goodbye to this place.

_Except Ned Stark, of course_.

She was annoyed that Sansa's leaving for dance school. It was something her sister had been dreaming about since they were younger, and now she's about to make it happen. With someone as pretty and graceful as Sansa Stark, no wonder ballet dancing is her passion. Arya, on the other hand, has the grace of a cow. _I have no talents like Sansa_, she'd often say to herself, but everyone would argue with that.

Despite her lack in grace, Arya Stark had a voice that many people envy.

She doesn't sing in public, though, much to the dismay of her parents. But she always sang for her brothers whenever they asked her to.

_Her brothers._

A thought came into mind, and for the first time since her parents broke the bad news, Arya Stark found herself grinning like an idiot.

* * *

Arya went down for breakfast the following morning with a pounding head. She slept so little in the night that she lay awake thinking about other arrangements she could come up with and running possible arguments with her parents.

"Mom, Dad, I thought about some other arrangements we could come up with." Arya said, pouring a glass of orange juice for herself and grabbing a piece of bacon to munch on.

"There's no need for that, Arya. We have already decided." Catelyn said.

"But…"

"I talked to Robert and Cersei last night and they would be happy to take you in for the rest of the year." Ned said without looking up, as he turned the page of the newspaper he was reading.

Arya raised her brows. "Are they in need of more children that they're okay with taking in another Stark into their home?"

"That's rude, Arya," Catelyn remarked, shaking her head. "The Baratheons are good friends of the family. It's just them and their three sons at home. They were nice enough to offer their guest house when your brothers started attending Uni. Your father and I don't feel comfortable with leaving you here with just the staff, so we thought the Baratheons would be the best option."

Arya nearly choked on her bacon. "So you're telling me I have to go live with their sons and my brothers in King's Landing? Don't they have other girls at home?"

"I'm afraid it's just Cersei," said Ned. "Unless you prefer to move with us to Storm's End?"

"No! No! It's fine! King's Landing it is." Arya said quickly.

Ned and Catelyn looked at each other and sighed. "King's Landing it is, then."


	2. Chapter 2

Arya Stark was a nervous wreck.

She had been for a week now. It was one thing to be moving to another place without your parents, but it's another thing to be moving to another place AND living with an entirely different set of family with only one other female member. Given that her brothers are also going to be there, she was still dreading the thought of actually living in a testosterone-filled household.

Plus, Cersei is as girly-girl as Sansa Stark is.

Good God, have mercy.

Her parents, along with Bran and Rickon, left for Storm's End left the day before she did; and Sansa left for the Vale the week before. She was the last person to leave Winterfell, but Miss Mordane and the rest of their staff made sure Arya had all her stuff with her before she left for King's Landing. They made sure she was brought to the airport on time (because everyone knew Arya would have slept the morning away if they didn't take charge) and that her suitcases were with her at all times. It wasn't the first time she would be traveling alone, but Arya had a knack for forgetting things and being late.

_"You're off to a different place, with a different family. Make sure you get your priorities straight and be responsible enough to look after yourself. Your brothers won't always be there to pick up after you, young lady," _Catelyn had reminded her numerous times before they left. _"And don't forget your manners, please, Arya. I know you can be hard-headed at times, but please, please…don't make a bad impression on the Baratheons. They're a long-time family friend of the Starks, ever since Grandma and Grandpa Stark became business partners with Robert's parents."_

Half of her wanted to laugh at how desperate her mother sounded; begging and pleading with her to make sure she remembered her _good manners and right conduct_. The other half was actually insulted that her mother actually had to beg and plead about it. _I'm not entirely an insufferable human being!_ Arya thought. But then again, the voice inside her head added the word "_much_" to that statement.

From what she remembered about the Baratheons, they were a pretty fun and outgoing lot. They spent a couple of summers at either the Stark or Baratheon beach houses or that private snow lodge in Switzerland, but it's been too long since they last saw each other and Arya found the memories a bit hazy now. She remembered Robert and Cersei, the middle brother Joffrey (who was a certified player but still sort of nice), and Tommen, who was still so young when Arya last saw him. And who would forget the eldest of the three brothers. She remembered him as this chubby, annoying kid who used to bury her in the snow during snow fights and pulled her pigtails at every possible opportunity. He wasn't really a bully, but she just hated how he used to follow her around and bug her even if he was the same age as her older brothers.

_Gendry_, she thought. _As if I would forget that stupid name._

She found Robert and Cersei at the Arrivals section of the airport, along with Jon who was practically grinning from ear to ear. She hasn't seen her brothers since Christmas, and she missed even her endearingly obnoxious cousin, Theon. She resisted the urge to run to Jon, but her mother's voice kept yapping inside her head to remind her about manners.

_Remember your manners, Arya_. _Young ladies are always refined._

But fuck _refined_. Arya Stark was no lady.

She let go of her luggage and ran the rest of the way and into Jon's waiting arms. Her brother laughed, but he sure didn't mind her _unladylike_ manner of greeting. For Arya, who cared about manners when her heart was full to bursting at seeing Jon. If this was her reaction at seeing Jon, she wondered what it would be like to see Robb and Theon as well.

Arya let go of her brother so she could properly greet Cersei and Robert. They immediately pulled her in for a hug and she noticed that Robert had grown a bit on the heavy side over the years, while Cersei remained as slim as she always had been. Her blonde hair was longer but it suited her.

_Wow. She looks like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine._

"How are you, Arya? I haven't seen you since Gendry stuck gum in your hair!" Robert laughed heartily, obviously happy to remember the incident.

Arya wanted to dig a hole from here and straight into her bedroom in Winterfell.

Cersei playfully slapped Robert's arm. "Honey, don't embarrass her! Don't worry, Gendry's no longer the annoying chubby 12 year-old you remember. He's a man grown now, my Gendry." She sounded really proud of her eldest, and Arya wondered if there would ever be anything to erase the image of Gendry's annoying self.

"I'm sure," was all Arya could say. She noticed Jon's knowing grin; as if he had a secret and he didn't want to share it with her. Arya made sure to ask Jon about it later.

Cersei looped her right arm around Arya's left and signaled to the men to take care of Arya's suitcases. "There would be plenty of time later for reminiscing. Right now, let's get Arya home!"

* * *

It was almost dinnertime when Robert pulled up in front of the sprawling Baratheon house. Like the Stark home, it had a modern look to it. The front had a spacious, semi-circular drive, with a small fountain right in the middle of it. The well-lit, two-storey house was painted a pristine white, and surrounded by high glass windows. Arya's awe must have been evident because Cersei giggled, then gently pulled Arya with her towards the house.

"There'd be time for a tour, later. Let's get you something to eat, I'm sure you must be hungry." She said, leading Arya across the living room.

_Oh. My. God._

"Your house is amazing!" Arya couldn't hide her excitement at seeing the inside of the house. She looked around the space. Arya liked everything she saw-the light hardwood floors, the white walls, black and white furniture (reminds her of home, actually)-everything was to Arya's liking. Maybe she wouldn't have a hard time adjusting to life in King's Landing, after all.

"Where's Robb and Theon?" she asked Jon, who was busy putting away her suitcases.

"They're out for the night. You know, last day of classes, so they're out with a few friends to celebrate." Jon replied.

"Then why aren't you out celebrating with them?" Arya inquired, her brows furrowed together. She was staring at the framed charcoal sketches decorating the walls. She couldn't figure out who the artist was, but she thought they might be from the same person. Every sketch had the same style, but nothing was the same, really. She loved them.

Jon chuckled. "Well, seeing as I just picked you up at the airport, I couldn't be in two places at the same time, you know."

Arya said, "Ha ha, very funny. You could have just seen me tomorrow at breakfast, idiot. There's no need to cancel your plans just because I'm coming."

"Of course I want to pick you up at the airport. Anyway, Joffrey and Gendry are with them. And you can't expect Robert and Cersei to remember what you look like. You were 10 when they last saw you. You're 17 now and every bit a lady, if you know what I mean." Jon said, wiggling his brows playfully.

"Eww! You're disgusting, Jon. I hate it when you do that wiggly eyebrow thing. You look like Theon when you're doing that."

Jon stopped wiggling his brows.

"Come, Arya," Robert called out as he stepped back into the living room. Chef Baelish has prepared a fantastic dinner for us. Are you keen on having seafood tonight?"

"Anything would be fine, thank you. And I love seafood. " Arya said, following Robert and Jon towards the dining room.

* * *

"That was the best chili garlic shrimp dish I have ever tasted! Chef Baelish is my new best friend." Arya said, earning the laughter of her three companions.

After dinner, they all went down to the pool area and spent the rest of the night talking about anything and everything. Arya admired the expansive pool area, and noticed that there was a Jacuzzi at the rightmost part of the pool. They were sitting on lounge chairs and outdoor couches at the front side of the pool. The night air was not too chilly and not too warm. Arya would have preferred to feel a cool breeze, but tonight was almost perfect as it is.

"Your father is one of the best out there," Robert said, taking a shot of whiskey from his glass. "He's one of the few honorable men in this business and I don't think there would be anyone else who could take his place."

The Stark siblings nodded in agreement. Ned Stark was one of the best in the restaurant business and most people would have loved to strike a partnership with him. But it was only the Baratheons who have a close partnership with the Starks and it might remain that way for a long time.

"My brother in law, Renly, took Tommen and his cousin Shireen out to the movies," Cersei said, taking a sip of her wine. "Renly's a pretty cool uncle. He takes the boys out from time to time and they love him for it."

"Stannis could take a lesson or two from Renly on how to be _The World's Best Uncle_, as Tommen puts it." Robert added with a guffaw.

Arya had never met both men, so she reserved judgment for later. "Uncle Benjen's pretty cool, too. Isn't he, Jon?"

"Definitely! He used to let us stay up late and eat pizza because Mom made us eat vegetables for dinner." Jon said, smiling at the memory. "He joined this group of climbers called, The Black…although I have no idea why it's called that. He's out climbing The Wall as we speak."

"I asked Dad if I could go with Uncle Ben one time." Arya said.

"Oh dear. How'd that go?" Cersei asked.

Arya laughed. "Mom almost had a heart attack! She talked Dad's ear off, nagging him for days and days about keeping me away from Uncle Ben and his adventures."

"I can't imagine Joffrey climbing walls and mountains. It'd melt the wax out of his hair, he'd probably say!" Robert said, shaking his head. "Gendry's the adventurous one. You might get along with that one, Arya."

_Oh, I doubt that. Your son's a dick,_ Arya thought, although she made sure not to say it out loud.

Arya's eyes must have started to droop because she suddenly felt Jon pull her to her feet.

"Come on, get up now," he said, pulling her from

the couch. "You've had a long day and I'm guessing tomorrow's going to be even busier what with the start of summer vacation. Get your cute little butt straight to bed."

"Thank you for dinner. And for letting me stay here. You have a beautiful home." Arya said before leaving.

"It's no problem at all, sweet girl," Robert replied, waving a hand in dismissal. "We're glad to have more people in this house. Makes it feel more like a real home."

"I'll show you to your room, little wolf," Cersei said, her eyes twinkling.

Arya smiled. She had forgotten Cersei's pet name for her when she was younger. _Arya is as feisty, playful and intelligent as wolves. You are our little wolf, Arya Stark, _she remembered Cersei telling her when she was younger.

"Lead the way, my queen," Arya teased.

* * *

Arya woke up to the sound of laughter. She looked over at the clock on the bedside table and groaned. It was only 7:30 am…how in the world is everyone up at this hour?!

"Here, Gendry! Pass it to me!"

Arya figured that must be Tommen. With a sigh, she got out of bed (more like ninja-rolled out of it). Thirty minutes later and freshly showered, she left the room in search of her brothers.

Apart from a few of the staff, she couldn't find anyone. Finally deciding on a detour to the kitchen, she was surprised to find someone rummaging through the contents of the fridge. She almost laughed at the view: the guy was bending forward, going through every item in the fridge, and his butt sticking out. Actually, his _huge_ butt is more like it.

_Ahh. Finally found Gendry Baratheon, douchebag extraordinaire_.

Sensing that someone else is in the room, the guy quickly shut the fridge door and turned towards her. He looked like he was caught with one hand in the bowl of leftovers.

_Oh, wait. He did have one hand in the bowl._

"Ah…hello," the guy said, his forehead creased. "Are you looking for your brothers?"

She nodded.

"Arya Stark," the guy said, looking a bit relieved this time. "Nice to meet you. Your brothers are in the backyard, playing a little football with the others."

"And you're not playing with them."

The guy shrugged. "Well…I'm not the athletic type…obviously."

Arya decided not to reply.

"Oh, well. Come on. I'll show you where they are."

Arya followed as the guy went out the kitchen door, passing through the pool area before making a right turn. Arya would have gotten lost if not for Gendry.

"Arya!"

She finally saw Robb, Jon and Theon running towards her. Arya panicked because they looked about ready to either trample her or hug her (she didn't know which was better), but they were not wearing shirts. Arya could see sweat glistening on their skin, and so she panicked.

"Oh my god, don't come any closer!" Arya exclaimed, taking a few steps back.

"What the hell? You've seen us without shirts on!" Theon said, putting both hands on his waist.

"But you're all sweaty!" Arya shrieked. "And you all stink! Get away!"

Robb kept walking menacingly towards her. "But I want to hug my little sister!"

"Fuck you, Robb! Get away! I just took a shower!"

"Language, young lady." Jon said in a growl.

"You're not mom." Arya replied.

"No," Jon answered. "But I'm her spy."

"Shut up." Arya snapped.

Your sister is still very charming, I see."

Arya turned to see who she assumed was Joffrey. Tall, lean and muscular, blonde hair that looked like he took time to style it even if he was just out here playing football with her brothers. He was attractive, but he was more of a pretty boy type, and Arya doesn't like pretty boys. She prefer guys who are ruggedly handsome. Joffrey would be Sansa's type, she guessed.

"Hey…Joffrey?" Arya half declared, half asked.

Joffrey laughed. "Yes. Glad you still remember me. And this one's Tommen."

He put an arm around a younger boy of about 10, who was standing beside him and looking at Arya curiously. Arya gave a little wave, much to Tommen's delight.

"Have you met Gendry?" Joffrey asked.

Arya nodded. "Yeah. Uh…he showed me out here. I met saw him back in the kitchen…" Arya's voice trailed off, leaving the part _raiding the fridge_.

The guys looked confused. "Gendry was never in the kitchen. He was with us the whole time." Joffrey replied, his brows furrowing in confusion.

Arya was confused too. She turned and saw the guy walking towards the group, looking happy as he devoured what appeared to be a multi-layered sandwich. "Ah, here he comes. And he looks happy with his sandwich."

The guys looked at each other and laughed. Arya was both puzzled and annoyed. "Can someone please tell me what's wrong."

Theon put a sweaty arm around his cousin, much to her horror. "What the hell, Arya. That's not Gendry. That's our friend, Hot Pie."

Hot Pie gave her a small wave with his left hand, while his right hand was still holding the ginormous sandwich.

"Okay, so this is Hot Pie. Where's Gendry?" Arya said in a huff. She was getting annoyed now.

"Did I just hear my name?"

Arya did a quick turn and found herself staring into the bluest eyes she has ever seen.

_Seven. Hells._

She couldn't resist. She stared. Arya Stark stared at this guy she doesn't even recognize. Gone was the chubby 12 year-old she remembered him as. Her gaze swept down from his face…to his neck…his sweat-glistened chest (Lord Almighty, she wanted to lay her head on that chest and sleep for days)…down to his stomach. No, abs. He had rock-hard abs. Sweaty, shiny, rock-hard abs she could probably scrub laundry with.

Fucking washboard abs.

Wait, what?

Arya snapped out of her daydream and found Gendry staring at her with a stupid grin on his stupid face looking like a stupid GQ model.

"Arya Stark. We meet again."

Gendry Fucking Baratheon is now officially a member of Team GQ.


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N: Wow. Thank you for all the reviews, favorites & follows. I'm happy that you guys seem to find this interesting. I promise to keep it at that, and even better!**

**So here's the thing. I'm keeping the usually evil characters nice in this story. Just a bit of change from the usual. And forgive me for the ASoIaF & other fandom references because I'm just making this up, obviously, instead of putting in real places/establishments/brands****_, _****or something.**

**And I might be the only person who laughed at Chef Baelish. Yes, laughing at my own joke, thank you. I'm imagining him in a chef's uniform and holding knives and cleavers and chopping his life away. **

**Okay, sorry. **

**This is just a short chapter. I might not be able to update in a few days, so I figured I might as well update fast since yesterday's post.**

**And moving on...)**

* * *

She wanted to die.

As if the incident earlier wasn't enough for her to wish death upon herself, Gendry Baratheon had the audacity to grin like he enjoyed every minute of her ogling his six pack.

Or was it eight?

_Help. Me._

Fortunately for Arya, Cersei came in at the moment Arya needed her the most. Since it was a Saturday, Cersei planned a little surprise for her. She was afraid to ask, but she guessed it involved the words _mall_, _shopping, salon_ and _spa_.

_Help. Me._

Arya had no problems with shopping, getting her hair and nails done once in a while, and getting pampered at the spa. It's not as if she hasn't done all those before. But Arya preferred doing them _only_ at a minimum. Like when she really _has to_. Or at times when her mom and Sansa nagged her into a _girls day out_. She figured Cersei was _desperate _for some female interaction, what with seven males running around the house. And Cersei is really nice, that Arya found it impossible say no to the woman.

"I remember you having short hair all the time," Cersei said. "Good thing you decided to grow it out. Suits you better, actually."

They were at a hair and nail salon called _Myrcella's_. Cersei was obviously a regular client here, because as soon as she walked in, the staff jumped out of their seats to accommodate her needs (and wants). She decided on getting some kind of hair treatment called _Macadamia Deep Repair Treatment_. Arya was scared at the idea of getting anything edible into her hair, so she settled for just a trim.

They left the salon brandishing improved hairstyles and freshly-painted nails. Arya had to admit that she felt great. Cersei must have paid a fortune; waving her hand in dismissal when Arya tried to take out her own money to pay for her share. Catelyn would have twisted Arya's arm and made her insist on giving her share, but her mother wasn't here. Besides, the Baratheons looked like they literally cried and shit money so Arya let this one go.

They had lunch at this restaurant called _Braavos_. Cersei had been raving about this restaurant since they stepped out of the car, and Arya realized why. The food was _amazing_. The cuisine was a fusion of food from the east and west, and Arya found herself eating more than she normally eats, much to Cersei's delight.

"So," Cersei said, taking a sip of her hot lemon tea. "You've met my sons this morning?"

Arya was in the process of drinking lemonade when Cersei threw the question. She had to try her hardest not to spit, spray or have the drink come out of her nose. _How unladylike._

"Uh, yeah. Although I don't think Gendry appreciates me mistaking him for Hot Pie." Arya replied with a shy smile.

Cersei giggled. "I was surprised at how much he's changed over the years. You do remember how chubby he was back when you were kids?"

_Yessssss._

"Uh, yes," was all Arya could say.

"He lost so much weight by working out and doing more physical activities. He plays football, basketball, hockey and he does a bit of climbing as well. I'm so proud of him."

As if she needed the reminder. Arya wanted to smack Cersei's head, but of course, she can't do that.

"Maybe you and Gendry should spend time outdoors. I heard you're the outdoors-y type as well."

_Okay, Cersei's really asking for a smack in the head_.

"Yeah, sure. Cool." Arya replied, trying to keep a nonchalant attitude about it.

"Great! So," Cersei said, finally getting ready to leave. "Are we ready to shop?"

Arya stifled a groan.

* * *

It was almost 6 pm when they finally returned home. Despite the long day, Arya found herself still energized. She decided to go out and explore the place. She found a secluded spot at the far end of the expansive lawn. She decided to lie down and close her eyes for a bit; savoring the scent of flowers surrounding the area and smiling at the slight breeze touching her nose and cheeks.

"May I?"

Arya opened one eye and found Gendry standing there, both hands in the pockets of his jeans.

_Hmm. Faded jeans. Very sexy. _Arya shrugged. "It's your lawn."

She saw a smile ghost Gendry's lips as he plopped down beside her, stretching his legs in front and crossing them at the ankles. He seemed so relaxed that Arya couldn't help but stare.

_Seven hells, he's beautiful_.

Gendry was leaning back, his arms and elbows taking his upper body's weight. His eyes were closed, head tipped back. His hair was slightly mussed by the night breeze. Arya wanted to run her fingers through his black hair. It seemed so soft that Arya literally balled her hands into fists to stop her from doing it.

As if that wasn't enough, her gaze went down to his closed eyes (she knew they were a startling blue) and the long, thick black lashes that framed his lids. His nose…his cheeks…slightly pink because of the slight night chill. And his lips. _Oh God, his lips._ They were red and plump and extremely kissable.

Arya blinked a few times. _Focus, Arya! Focus! _But she couldn't take her eyes off his lips. Lips that were now turned up at one side she quickly recognized as a smirk.

"That's the second time today."

Arya almost jumped in surprise. Gendry was now looking at her, a smirk plastered on his face.

She looked away, but not before she saw him studying her. "I don't know what you mean."

"I think you do."

"Shut up."

He chuckled. Arya loved the sound of it.

"It was funny," he continued. "You thought I was Hot Pie."

"Well," she replied. "That was how I remember you."

He chuckled again.

"No offense." Arya added quickly.

She risked to take a look and found him still looking at her. Staring, even. _Why are you doing this to me?_

Gendry shrugged. "None taken." He tipped his head back and closed his eyes again. "Hot Pie's a really good friend. He's here most of the time, you'll get used to him being around. The kitchen, usually" he added.

Arya laughed. "Why is he called Hot Pie, anyway?"

Gendry laid down on the grass, his arms folded across his chest. "His family owns _Doughnuts of Dorne_. And the guy can make hot pies like nobody's business. They're awesome."

_Hot Pie owns Doughnuts of fucking Dorne. I practically insulted the guy this morning._

"Come lie beside me," Gendry said, patting the space beside him. "I want to show you something."

Arya's heart began to thump loudly in her chest. She recently discovered that she has a little problem meeting Gendry's intent stares. His steel blues unnerve her, and she couldn't hold his stare for long. But right now she's having _major_ problems with being at a close proximity.

_You can do this, Arya. Calm yo tits._

She crept closer, positioning herself at his right side. She felt Gendry's right arm slightly touching her left, leaving goose bumps where his skin touched hers.

"You see that?" he asked, pointing a finger at somewhere in the sky. "That one right there."

He traced a pattern with his finger, but Arya had no idea what it was.

"What _is_ that?"

Gendry laughed. "Look closely. See how that's sort of like an irregular rectangular shape? And see how this one's extended to here?"

Gendry was tracing patterns in the stars. Arya had to squint harder to be able to see what he was seeing.

"You have no idea what it is I'm trying to show you."

"No idea at all."

Gendry laughed again.

_God, his laugh is doing things to me_.

"I'm showing you the Big Dipper."

"Ahhh."

"Arya Stark, meet the Big Dipper. Big Dipper, meet Arya Stark."

She laughed. She didn't notice how Gendry turned his head towards her, watching her make out the little starry patterns in the sky. She didn't notice how he inched his head a little closer to hers, as if the close proximity wasn't enough for him. She didn't notice how he slightly turned his body towards hers and studied her profile.

Arya only noticed that Jon was standing somewhere in the distance, watching them both as they were lying on the grass, watching constellations.

"Oi, you two! Get in here! We're playing air hockey in the game room, if you can be bothered enough to join us." Jon called out.

Arya heard Gendry sigh. She saw that there was a weird expression on his face, although she didn't know what to make of it. Together, they walked slowly back into the house. But she noticed that the air felt different, like everything suddenly became awkward. And Gendry kept a safe distance from her as they found their way back.

_What in seven hells did just happen?_


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N: I lied. I can't stop writing so here I am…making a post a day. Somebody get me off FFN!**

**I'm still a bit unsure about the ratings here, trying to decide whether to change it to a T or M. I'm making it an M just to be sure. And who knows how this fic will turn out in the future hehe. **

**Again, thank you for taking time out to read/follow/favorite/review. As a fic noob, I'm extremely happy that I'm somehow making GoT lovers…ahem, Gendrya…excited over a fic. Let us unite and have our feels combust and rain all over the place.)**

* * *

Gendry tried not to stare.

He should have known that choosing to read a book instead of being out there with the others would dampen his spirits. Not that there's anything to lighten him up anyway, considering he'd been going out of his way to avoid that little Stark girl. Ever since that night two weeks ago, he decided to keep things as uncomplicated as they were before that slip of a girl came back into his life.

_Came back into his life_. Gendry had to laugh at himself for even thinking that, as if she was ever in his life in the first place. Those long-ago summers spent in a whirl of pre-teen excitement over school vacation, and he doesn't even remember most of it. Maybe except for those late night bonfires by the beach, practical jokes in the house, and those secret drinking sessions the boys had in the attic.

_Oh, right. And that gum-in-the-hair incident._

Gendry felt stupid for doing it. He felt stupid then, he still felt that way now. He knew it was an immature prank that he played on Arya, but it got him in so much trouble that he was grounded for the rest of the summer.

* * *

_(Flashback)_

_"Gendry's got a crush! Gendry's got a crush!"_

_Joffrey had been teasing him the whole day and he was getting tired of telling his brother to 'fuck off'. If there's any secret you'd like to keep, it's always best to keep them from Joffrey. His brother is the worst at keeping them. _

_"I'm telling Arya!" Joffrey declared proudly._

_Gendry pulled the back of Joffrey's shirt to stop him. "No, you're not!" Gendry said, tightening his hold on his brother's shirt. "If you tell Arya, I'm going to tell Sansa that you went through her suitcase and found her bra and panties!"_

_It was Joffrey's turn to look horrified. "No, you're not!"_

_Gendry grinned. "Exactly why you're not going to say anything to Arya. And besides, THERE'S NOTHING TO SAY!"_

_"Yeah, right! JUST ADMIT IT! YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON LITTLE ARYA STARK!"_

_"LIAR!" Gendry shouted out to no one in particular. " JOFFREY IS A LIAR!" _

_"YOU'RE A LIAR TOO!" Joffrey shot back._

_Gendry's face was red. Maybe because of anger at his brother or maybe because someone found out the one thing he's been trying hard to conceal all summer._

_"I'll prove it! I'll prove to you that I have no crush on Arya!"_

_That night, the brothers found her asleep in her room. Luckily for them, the door was ajar so they were able to sneak in easily. _

_"What are you going to do?" asked Joffrey._

_He watched as Gendry put a finger to his lips to keep his brother from making any noise. Then he tiptoed towards the bed where Arya must have dozed off after swimming. She was lying face down, her hair a tangled mess. Gendry took out several sticks of gum from his pocket and then started putting them in his mouth. Joffrey watched Gendry chew everything at once. He was curious as to what kind of prank the older brother will be playing now. Joffrey felt sorry for Arya at that moment, but he was too interested to find out what happens next._

_Joffrey's eyes widened when Gendry stuck gum into Arya's hair. For a big guy, Gendry was pretty stealthy. Arya stayed asleep, oblivious to the prank being played on her. _

_When they finally snuck out of the room, Joffrey took one last look at the sleeping girl and felt sorry for her. She had gum on several parts of her hair. He's not a girl, but he knew it would be a disaster to get everything out now. She might have to get a haircut if she wanted to get the gum out of her hair._

_"That was mean, Gendry." Joffrey said, when they were finally in Gendry's room._

_"No," Gendry said while still laughing. "That was hilarious! Genius!"_

_They were having breakfast altogether the following day, and both brothers have forgotten about the prank. That is, until they heard a scream from upstairs._

_Sansa and Catelyn tried their best to get the gum out of Arya's hair, but it was close to impossible because the only thing they were able to do was to get it all the more tangled. "You're going to have to cut it short," Sansa said, looking at her sister with pity. "Like…really short."_

_Arya cried the rest of the day. Gendry didn't see her until the following morning, when the Starks decided to make an early end to their vacation. He saw a glimpse of Arya-her hair now cut like a boy's-as she went inside the car. He felt like an idiot. He knew he went overboard and if he could, he'd go back to that day and just admitted to Joffrey that he did have a crush on Arya. Now he's gone and ruined what could have been a summer with her, all because of his stupidity._

_As their car rolled out of the driveway and away from the embarrassed Baratheons, Gendry did the only thing he could think of. He ran after the car, as fast as his chubby legs could carry him, and shouted at the top of his lungs._

_"I'M SORRY, ARYA! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY!"_

_He saw Arya look out the window and straight at him. She only shrugged, and Gendry took that as a positive sign. But she looked so sad, and Gendry felt his heart break into a thousand little pieces. _

_His spirits were at its lowest, and he was grounded for the rest of summer. And Joffrey called him "Gumby" for months._

_Gendry never ate gum again, at least not until after a few years._

_(End of flashback)_

* * *

"UNO! UNO! UNO!"

Tommen's shouts started Gendry out of his thoughts. He looked at the group on the other side of the room. Theon and Jon were sitting on the couch. Robb and Joffrey were on the floor, with Arya in between them. Tommen was jumping up and down, obviously excited about defeating the adults.

"I win! I win!" Tommen exclaimed excitedly.

Everyone looked annoyed at having been beaten by a 10 year-old. Everyone except Arya, who was actually laughing. Gendry couldn't help but stare. He loved seeing her smile. He didn't know if it had to do with her cute little crooked teeth, or her lips (that he would so love to kiss and bite), or just the fact that she grew even more pretty over the years. Arya was never an ugly child, but dear God, she was strikingly beautiful now. Everyone said that Sansa was the prettier one, but Gendry always favored Arya more. Even Joffrey thought she was the prettiest of the two. And now Tommen has taken a liking to her. Everywhere Arya went, Tommen tagged along. Gendry wanted to tease his little brother about it, but he chose not to. He learned the hard way how teasing someone about a crush ended up.

_Gumby Gendry._

"Oi, Gendry!" Theon called out.

He looked up from reading, raising his brow at Theon. Everyone was looking at him now, so he chanced a look at Arya. She was sitting there, staring at him with her big, pretty eyes…a shocking gray…and he swears he sees a small smile touch her lips.

"You wanna play?" asked Theon, as he dealt a new round of cards.

_Yes. Yes. Yes._

"No," Gendry replied with a shrug. "I'm kind of hooked with this book."

Robb laughed. "Right. I haven't seen you turn a page since we started playing."

Gendry said nothing and pretended to keep reading.

"So," Robb continued. "The party at Ramsay's tonight. We're still going, yeah?"

Gendry slowly nodded. "Yeah. Dickwad's…" Gendry looked at Tommen, and relieved that his little brother was busy sorting his cards. "…been texting me non-stop about it. I'm not really in a party mood, but I already said yes."

"I wonder why," Jon said.

Gendry looked up to see Jon looking at him with a blank expression. He wasn't sure what Jon meant. But then again, Jon was Jon and he's mostly puzzling and quiet and a bit serious. Gendry wondered if it had something to do with that night two weeks ago, when he found him and Arya lying on the grass, trying to figure out constellations. Jon Stark can be a bit protective over Arya. But then he's protective of Sansa too, so Gendry decided to let this one go.

After a couple more rounds, everyone called it quits. Tommen appeared to be on a winning streak today.

"Tommen's pretty good with cards," Arya said, ruffling the boy's hair. "Maybe he's ready to move on to poker?"

Everyone laughed, and Tommen blushed. Even Gendry found this amusing enough to stop reading.

"Ooh, right there!" Arya exclaimed excitedly.

Gendry saw her hovering behind him, (how quickly she got there, he didn't know), a silly (but pretty…really pretty) grin on her face. "What's _right there_?"

It seemed like they've been staring at each other for a while, because the next time Gendry looked around, they were the only ones left in the room. Well maybe save for Theon, who was cleaning up after the others. He was found cheating twice, so they made him clean up the mess they made.

Arya took a seat at the other end of the couch, careful not to be too close to him. It's been two weeks, and Gendry appeared to be avoiding being in the same room with her. She was curious as to why, since they felt comfortable enough to lie side by side that one night, two weeks ago.

"Your smile," she answered, chancing a look at him. "I haven't seen that in a while."

"Hey! I do smile."

"Maybe. But not recently."

"I don't know about that. I smile all the time."

"You're not smiling right now."

Gendry gave her a big, goofy grin. Arya laughed.

_Oh God, you're adorable, _he thought.

"So," Arya went on, fidgeting with the throw draped over the back of the couch. "You're all going to the party tonight."

"Uh, yeah."

"Are you going with someone?"

_Do you want to go with me?_ Gendry asked her. But he didn't exactly ask that out loud.

"No."

Theon heard this and stopped picking up stray cards and potato chips on the floor. "Aren't you going with Jeyne?"

Gendry wanted to strangle him. Like, _really_ strangle him. He was already picturing it in his mind, and if only he could do it for real.

"Uh…I think so," came his reply.

Theon's forehead creased. "What do you mean you think so? Didn't you ask her to go with you?"

Gendry forgot all about that. _Dead. Dead. Dead. Theon's dead, and Gendry will make sure of that. But this is Theon, and he's pretty hard to kill. What was it that Theon always said? 'What is dead may never die.'_

He noticed that Arya seemed tense. Instead of him, she was now suddenly interested with picking at her nails.

"Um…yeah. Forgot about that." Gendry said.

"Well," Theon chuckled. "Best not to forget. You know how absurdly jealous and annoyed she gets when you don't keep a promise."

Silence. Awkward silence.

Gendry cleared his throat, for lack of a better thing to say. He shot an annoyed look at Theon, although he doubted the Starks' cousin even noticed. Finally finding the nerve to look, he looked at Arya and found the seat empty.

He seemed to be doing a pretty good at letting her slip through his fingers.


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N: Again, thank you for all the reviews. I appreciate it A LOT...it helps me when I write because at least I know that people are reading this. I hope you guys find this one to your liking too. Enjoy!)**

* * *

Arya was in the middle of composing an email to her parents when a pop-up message appeared to indicate that Bran was online.

_No_one: Hey ugly_

_Branflakes: Back at ya_

_No_one: Very funny. You at home?_

_Branflakes: No. I'm actually under your bed_

_No_one: Brandon_

_Branflakes: Yes I'm at home_

_No_one: How's Storm's End?_

_Branflakes: Okay, so far. We haven't really been around much_

_No_one: How come?_

_Branflakes: Mom's making us help with sorting boxes and stuff_

_No_one: Poor you_

_Branflakes: Cry for me. How's King's Landing?_

_No_one: Okay. Better than I expected actually_

_Branflakes: Because of Joffrey?_

_No_one: Not my type. Maybe if you ask Sansa_

_Branflakes: Who's your type? Gendry?_

Arya stopped typing for a while. She was debating whether to tell Bran about Gendry but decided not to. Bran might be more mature than her or Sansa, but he's still her 14 year-old little brother, and there are stuff you don't really like telling your brothers.

Like stuff about liking the eldest son of a family friend.

_Branflakes: Ha! I knew it! So it's Gendry you like?_

_No_one: Shut up. I had to go pee._

_Branflakes: You shut up. Your status said 'typing' but you never sent the message anyway_

_No_one: Soooo…are there any girls out there that you like_

_Branflakes: I'll tell you if you tell me about Gendry_

_No_one: How about I kick your ass. Hey! What's your favorite Doughnuts in Dorne doughnut flavor?_

_No_one: Okay that sounded funny_

_Branflakes: Dornish cheesecake. Why?_

_No_one: Do you know that I've actually met the owner?_

_Branflakes: SHUT UP!_

_No_one: I know right! He's a friend of the Baratheons. Well, the son, I mean_

_Branflakes: Can you get me free doughnuts?_

_No_one: Maybe :P_

_Branflakes: That's probably the reason why Gendry's fat_

_No_one: He's not_

_Branflakes: Not what?_

_No_one: Fat. He's not that anymore_

_No_one: And he wasn't fat in the first place. Just chubby_

_Branflakes: Arya Stark for the defense!_

Another pop-up message appeared.

_Rock_on: THE PARTY DON'T START TILL I LOG IN!_

_No_one: Have you been listening to Ke$ha?_

_Branflakes: Does it really have to be $_

_Rock_on: Hey Arya!_

_No_one: Hello baby brother!_

_Branflakes: Will Kesha sue me if I spell it without the $?_

_Rock_on: I'm not a baby_

_No_one: Yes you are. Now drink your milk._

_Rock_on: Theon made me drink beer one time_

_No_one: I'm telling Dad_

_Branflakes: WILL SOMEONE ANSWER ME WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE KE$HA & NOT KESHA?!_

Another pop-up message, this time from…

_SnowPrincess: SANSA IN THE HOUSE!_

_No_one: SO ANNOYING_

_SnowPrincess: You just miss me_

_No_one: Uh…NO_

_Branflakes: Arya, tell Sansa who got an Extreme Makeover, King's Landing edition_

_No_one: WHAT THE HELL_

_SnowPrincess: Oh. My. God. Who?_

_No_one: Gendry Baratheon_

_Branflakes: Why didn't you even make her guess!_

_SnowPrincess: WHAAAAAAAT?! How?_

_No_one: You can't call him Chubby Fingers anymore_

_SnowPrincess: Send me a photo or everything's a lie!_

_No_one: I don't have a photo of him!_

_SnowPrincess: LIE!_

_No_one: WHATEVER_

_Rock_on: Bran just sneezed his head off. HAHAHAHA!_

_Branflakes: Hell yeah! I shot snot straight into your arm!_

_Rock_on: Gross!_

_No_one: Are you guys actually in the same room?!_

_Rock_on: Haha_

_No_one: Seven hells_

_SnowPrincess: So…Gendry? _

Arya stopped typing. She was weighing the consequences about telling Sansa, but knowing her sister, she'd do everything in her power to _get them together_. Arya didn't think it would be a good idea, considering Gendry might actually be seeing someone named _Jeyne_.

She might tell Sansa, but _not today_.

_No_one: Have to go. Dinner time._

_Branflakes: :(  
_

_SnowPrincess: TTYL!_

_Rock_on: Later!_

_No_one: Tell Mom and Dad I said hi._

_Rock_on: Okay_

_No_one: I miss you guys…_

Arya logged off quickly. She missed Bran and Rickon, Mom and Dad, even Sansa, and she didn't want anyone to know that despite her decision to stay with her older brothers, she missed the rest of them. She wanted to prove to her parents that she's okay with her decision to not live with them for the whole year. Still, that didn't stop her from missing every single one of her family.

She had just closed her laptop when she heard three soft knocks on her bedroom door.

"Come in," she said, plopping down on the bed and turning the TV on.

She saw Jon peek inside, his face breaking into a smile as soon as he saw her. "Cersei was pretty worried when you didn't go down for dinner. Aren't you hungry?"

Arya shook her head. "Nope. Tommen and I had a pretty heavy snack this afternoon, so I'm not really hungry right now."

Jon lay down on the bed, his head on her lap. "We're leaving for Ramsay's in a few. Do you want to come with us?"

_And see Gendry with Jeyne? No fucking way._

"I think I'll just stay in for the night. I'm thinking about getting into the Jacuzzi while there are no guys in the house."

"Great idea," Jon said. "We don't want _anyone_ seeing you in your bikini, now."

Arya stared at him in confusion. "_Anyone_? I don't understand."

Jon sighed. "Let's just say, I'm ready to kick some guy's balls if he gets near you in a not-so-brotherly kind of way."

Arya was still clueless.

Jon stood and smiled half-heartedly. "We should get going. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Have fun."

"I plan to."

"Who's driving, by the way?"

"Joffrey," Jon replied. "We're getting in his SUV, except for Gendry."

"Ah."

"Gendry's picking up Jeyne before heading for the party, so he's using his own car."

_Yes. Thank you for the reminder, Jon._

"Shoo! Get your ass out of my room! Enjoy!"

She heard Jon's laughter as he closed the door behind him.

* * *

"This party sucks."

Joffrey took a seat on the couch, right beside Robb, who seemed to be slightly drunk. "We should've asked Arya to come with us," Joffrey continued.

"I told you, I asked her before we left," Jon answered. "She wanted to stay in for the night. I think she just wanted to hoard the Jacuzzi for herself."

They all laughed, all except for Gendry who looked like he was lost in thought.

_Arya. Bikini. Jacuzzi. Arya. Bikini. Jacuzzi._

Gendry had to mentally shake his head at the thought of seeing Arya, wearing a bikini in the Jacuzzi. He looked at his watch. _Maybe there's still time to run back home?_

He had a little trouble listening to the conversation because he couldn't get the image of Arya in a bikini out of his head. In the few weeks since she's been staying with them, the closest to a naked Arya he's seen is a tank top and those shorts that usually annoy Jon because they're, well, short. And because they were shorts, Gendry couldn't help but admire those legs. They might not be long, but the skin of her legs looked silky smooth…her thighs well-toned…

_Seven hells. Focus, Gendry._

_Arya. Bikini. Jacuzzi. Arya. Bikini. Jacuzzi._

Gendry stood abruptly, startling the others.

"I have to go," he said, groping for his car keys. "I, uh, I'll see you guys at home."

Everyone was confused by his sudden departure but decided not to ask questions. If Gendry wanted to, he'd tell them why. But right now, he looked like he was in a hurry to rush out the door.

"What about Jeyne?" Theon called out.

Gendry ran his hand through his hair, messing it up even more. "What about her?"

"Didn't you promise her you'd drive her home?"

"Actually, no," Gendry said. "I promised to drive her here, but I think she's leaving with some of her other friends or something. I'm not her boyfriend, anyway." He shrugged into his jacket as he walked off, calling back to the group. "I'll tell Ramsay on the way out! Have to go!"

His voice trailed off as he rushed out of the crowded living room.

"What the hell was that all about?" Robb asked, shaking his head.

"You know," Joffrey said. "If you try to figure my brother out, you'd find yourself even more confused than you originally were. I stopped doing it years ago and my life has never been better."

The Starks were seriously contemplating this, Joffrey had to laugh.

"Alrighty, people!" he exclaimed, fists in the air. "Time to fire up this party!"

* * *

It was close to 11 pm when Arya finally decided to check out the Jacuzzi. She tried asking for Cersei and Robert's permission before they retired for the night, but they simply scolded her for even asking.

_You can do anything around here, just as long as it's legal! _ Robert said.

Arya tried to store that information in the back of her mind, just in case she needed it in the future.

She donned one of her favorite bikinis-a simple black one that flattered her petite frame. She might have a small build, but she had curves in all the right places. She would have preferred to be less pale, though, so she might have to spend more time outdoors this summer.

She walked towards the pool area, going further back to where the outdoor Jacuzzi was. It was big enough for about a dozen or more people to get in, and Arya wondered if the Baratheons ever held pool parties here.

_Probably, _she thought. _Maybe Jeyne's been here with Gendry._

She literally shook her head to erase the image.

She came here to relax, and images of Gendry and Jeyne in the Jacuzzi is not helping with the relaxation. She finally decided to just get in and let the bubble jets relax her tensed muscles.

She must have dozed off for a bit because the next thing she knew, someone was shaking her awake. She looked up and saw Gendry sitting on his haunches, his hand placed gently on her shoulder. She felt groggy with sleep; she didn't even know if she was imagining him sitting there and smiling at her.

He must have sensed her confusion because he quickly explained his presence. "Sorry to wake you, but I was pretty alarmed to see you alone out here. And asleep. Do you know that you're not supposed to sleep while in a Jacuzzi? You could drown in there, Arya."

They stared at each other for several minutes, their gazes not wavering one bit. Arya was fully alert now, no longer feeling tired or sleepy. Instead, she felt lightheaded and a bit breathless. She could feel Gendry's gaze move slowly from her eyes…to her mouth…her neck…down to her chest.

And Gendry Baratheon didn't look like he was ashamed for doing so.

If she must, she admitted that she liked having him ogle her like she did with him during her first morning there. She thought it was weird that she was in her most flattering bikini, submerged in water, while he was sitting there fully-clothed and undressing her with his eyes.

"I'll be back," he said, getting up and going back inside the house.

Arya was a bit stunned by her boldness for she was able to return this eye-fucking of some sort. The next time he came out, he was wearing just his shorts and a towel draped over one shoulder, and nothing else.

_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

He strode barefoot back to the Jacuzzi, pausing to drop the towel on the ground beside them. Arya thought she must have done something to please all the gods out there because at that moment, Gendry Baratheon stepped into the water to where Arya was waiting with bated breath.


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N: Sooooo...I decided to just post the next chapter because I've received so many death threats after that one! Hahaha, kidding! But I wanted to update, like say, next month, but I figured I still want to be alive to watch season 3, so yes...although this is a bit short, NEW CHAPTER UP NOW *yay*.**

**Again, thank you for reading, making it a favorite, following, and taking time out to send a review and PMs. I'll do my best to keep this interesting. Thank you again!)**

* * *

Arya shivered. Whether it was from the night chill or the physical closeness with Gendry, she didn't know. All she knew then was that she was in a Jacuzzi with Gendry Baratheon.

He was sitting directly across her, their eye-fucking from earlier was back and in full force. Only their legs underwater were touching, but Arya felt as if a hundred pins were pricking her skin. Like everything was ice and fire, coolness and warmth, hot and cold. She was aware of everything Gendry and the intensity shocked her.

When she felt Gendry's hand on her knee, she was gone. Arya couldn't remember exactly how it happened, but she suddenly found herself straddling his lap, her arms around his neck. She snaked her hands through his hair and held on for dear life.

She was kissing Gendry.

Or maybe it was the other way around.

When Gendry pulled her onto his lap, he cupped the back of her head with his other hand while the other was gripping her hip. He lost all logical thought when Arya eagerly started kissing him back. She tasted like strawberries and cream, and he wondered if she had ice cream or milkshake before she hopped in the tub. But her mouth tasted sweeter than he imagine it would be, and Gendry wondered if he would ever get drunk from purely kissing her.

Arya Stark's tongue is the sweetest thing he's ever tasted.

He pulled back a bit, looking into her startling gray Stark eyes and smiled. She smiled in return before nipping kisses from his lips, to the side of his mouth, to his jaw.

_Good Lord, he was addicting._

She heard a soft moan, and she wondered if the sound came from her or from him. She couldn't tell. Actually, she doesn't care even. What mattered was Gendry and his kisses and how he made her weak and strong at the same time.

"Your tongue is sinfully addicting," Gendry murmured into her ear, nipping the lobe a bit and hearing her laugh.

"Hmm…tickles…" she sighed.

He went back to kissing her, making sure he's had his fill before pulling back again. He swears he heard Arya whimper when he eased back a bit, and he found the sound to be so arousing he could cry.

At one point, Arya tipped her head back and he seized the moment to place soft, nipping kisses on her neck, but making sure he doesn't leave marks. At times, he gave small bites and light licks and he tightens his hold on her hips and waist when he hears her gasp.

"We should stop," Gendry said. His actions contradicted his words, though, because he placed each hand on her thighs and pulled her even closer. Arya gasped when she felt _it_…felt _him_…and she clung to him as if she didn't want to let go.

"We have to stop," Gendry said again, more to himself than to her.

"Yes," Arya whispered, but the feeling of _him _on _her_ was unbelievably good that she ground her hips to that part of him a little more.

Gendry groaned in frustration before finally, _finally_, putting a little distance between them. He set her back to where she first sat, and prepared to get out of the tub. He tried not to look at her because she was sitting there, staring up at him, her eyes wide with wonder and awe and arousal that he tried his hardest not to look again.

"Your brothers might be home soon and we can't lose our heads like we just did," he said, drying himself with the towel he discarded earlier. "And as much as I'd like to keep kissing you, I still want to live a long life."

"Why do you have to be the logical one?" she asked, finally getting out of the tub too.

Gendry laughed. "Oh, trust me, I'm not. But I'm trying to keep the last strand of my sanity here and I can't put you in an awkward situation if and when your brothers walk in on us."

"Is it wrong to kiss a friend's little sister?"

Her voice was soft and full of curiosity, and Gendry couldn't resist placing another kiss on her lips.

"No," he said, running his thumb on her lower lip that's now swollen from his kisses. "But your mouth can drive a saint to madness if we don't stop right now."

"I'm no saint, Gendry," Arya said, slowly walking away. She paused to look ever her shoulder before moving on. "And neither are you."

* * *

It was a long and arduous trek back to the house. Gendry watched as Arya walked up the stairs and disappeared into her room, the door closing softly. It took all his self-control to not follow her in there and resume that wondrous activity they'd been playing at earlier.

_Walk away, Gendry. Walk away._

He dragged his feet to the direction of his room (at the far side of the house, much to his annoyance), and shut the door. He plopped unceremoniously on the bed and dragged his hands over his face.

_What are you doing?_

That little voice inside Gendry's head started nagging again. Just the other day, it was reprimanding him for thinking improper thoughts about his friends' little sister. Tonight, it's back with a vengeance, telling him off for making out with her while her brothers were not in sight. He felt slightly guilty; but then again she was kissing him back something fierce and he found himself grinning again.

_What the hell are you doing, Gendry Baratheon?_

Maybe that stupid voice in his head was right. Arya had only been here a few weeks, and she's not going to be here forever. _Just for a year_, he reminded himself. He didn't want to start something that he knows would not last for long. And as much as this felt so good and so tempting, starting something with Arya might not be the best idea.

Gendry fell asleep worrying about that little wolf girl.

* * *

Arya couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned most of the night, and Gendry Baratheon was to blame.

Okay, she's as much to blame as he is because she remembered that she was a very willing participant in that make out session earlier. And now that her mind's no longer clouded with Gendry and everything that he was making her feel, she felt a bit guilty for luring him in the water (at least that's what she thinks) and a bit ashamed of herself for reacting so boldly. If Catelyn Stark could see her now, she was sure she'd be ordered to take the last flight out to Storm's End.

If she would listen to that annoying voice in her head (in addition to her mother's nagging voice in there), she'd admit that this was a bad idea. For now, at least. She's not sure how or when or if in the future Gendry would still eventually pop into her life, but a temporary arrangement to live here is reason enough to put everything on hold.

_But damn his kisses._

She glanced at the digital clock on her bedside table and groaned. _2:15_, it read. She tried closing her eyes again but opened them again when a sudden realization making her gasp at the same time.

_Stupid! Stupid, stupid Arya!_

She lay there thinking about Gendry and Jeyne.

* * *

"You look like crap." Jon said, taking a drink of his orange juice. "What did you do last night?"

Arya had to clear her throat before answering. "Merlin season 5 marathon," she mumbled in reply.

Arya took a bagel from the bread basket and cut it in half. She was aware of Jon staring at her, studying her movements. She tried to act more naturally this time, careful not to pique his interest. She took one half of the bagel and spread some cream cheese over it.

"Whoa," Theon said as he came into the kitchen. "Did you even sleep at all?"

Arya rolled her eyes. "And why is it that you guys were at a party till the wee hours in the morning but it's me who looks like hell?"

"Must be the naturally good Greyjoy looks," Theon answered with a grin.

"Don't make me vomit the bagel I just ate," Arya said, gulping down half a glass of orange juice. "Where's Robb?"

"Oh, he's incredible," Jon said with a laugh. "He's incredibly plastered."

Arya had to laugh at that.

"So," Theon said, grabbing a box of cereals from the pantry and some milk from the fridge. "Anybody got plans today?"

"I'm sleeping the day away," Arya said.

"When did you become such a lazy ass?" Theon asked. Turning to Jon, "And you, Grumpy?"

Jon glared. "I promised Tommen I'd take him to the mall."

Just then, the reason for Arya's sleepless night walked into the kitchen. He went straight to the fridge, taking out a bottle of water and picking up an apple from the fruit basket. Arya noticed that he was freshly showered, his black hair was still damp. He was wearing a simple white shirt, dark gray shorts and black worn out sneaks.

Arya found it hard to swallow the last bite of her bagel. She thought she heard Jon chuckle, but she wasn't too sure.

"Looks like someone's up early," Theon said as he continued devouring his bowl of cereals.

Gendry leaned his left hip on the island, his elbow resting on the counter. He took a bite of his apple, wiping some of the juice with the back of his hand.

Arya stopped chewing altogether.

"I went to the gym early. I feel a bit…tense," Gendry answered a while later after eating almost half of the apple. He took another apple and tossed it over to Jon.

Arya was wondering if he's going to start giving him the cold shoulder now. She noticed that he was looking everywhere except her, although she was more hurt than angry.

Theon stood after finishing his breakfast, drinking the last of his water. "Adios, amigos! Ramsay and I are meeting up. Gotta go shag more ladies!"

Arya looked horrified. "It's only 8:30 am, Theon. Have you no shame?"

"That was a joke, little cousin," Theon said as he retreated from the room.

Jon got up from his seat as well. "Tommen and I are leaving in a couple of hours, so I might as well get ready. I don't know if I can borrow Joff's car since your brother's still probably wasted, but can I borrow your car for now? Mine's still at Tobho's for repair, and it's going to be another week before I get it back. Unless you need it…"

"No, it's fine. Take it," Gendry replied, waving a hand in dismissal. "I'm just going to be here all day anyway." He fished the keys from his pocket and tossed it to Jon.

"Thanks, man," Jon said before turning to his sister. "I'll see you later then."

"Have fun." Arya said.

And then, it was just them two. Again.

_Danger! Danger! Danger!_

The tension in the air was so thick, Arya swears she could slice it with a knife. Half of her wanted to get out of there, but the other half has her glued to the stool she was sitting on.

"Arya…" Gendry said softly, seeking her attention.

Arya looked up and noticed that he hasn't moved an inch. _Putting distance…how nice,_ she thought disappointedly.

"Yes?" she replied.

She heard him clear his throat. _At least I'm not the only one who's dying of nerves, _Arya thought.

"Last night…"

He seemed to have trouble finishing his sentences. She wanted to scream, "_WHAT DO YOU WANT, GENDRY?!" _ but the thinking part of her brain refrained from doing so.

"Never happened?" Arya finished for him.

Gendry exhaled a deep breath. "As much as I want to keep…ahem…kissing you…I don't think it's a good idea to jump into this right now."

_Oh._

"So you want to pretend it never happened?"

"No! Not _pretend _it never happened," Gendry explained quickly. He walked over to where she was sitting, taking the stool next to hers. "I could never _pretend_ anything like that ever happened. It was too good, Arya," he said, giving her a shy smile.

Arya felt her face heat up. "So…what do we do about it?"

Gendry tipped his head back, closed his eyes and muttered something unintelligible. Arya couldn't make out the words. He looked to be in a great deal of pain.

"Maybe we're rushing into things, I don't know," he said with a sigh. "Let's just take things slow, you know…enjoy each other's company? Getting too…ah…_intimate…_might not be the best thing to do right now."

Arya only nodded, taking in his words and absorbing the logic behind them. _He's right_, she thought. _It's only been a month since I've been here._

But there was something else she wanted to ask…something she's dying to know but couldn't say until that moment.

"What about Jeyne?" she asked, looking directly at him.

"She's just a friend," he replied without blinking.

It took several minutes of looking into each other's eyes before Arya finally answered,

"Okay."


	7. Chapter 7

**(A/N: I will always and forever say thank you for reading/reviewing/following and making this a favorite. It's been only about a week since I first posted this, and now I'm already on the 7th chapter. Hmm...looks like I might have to wait a while before I post between chapters if I want this story to go on for a while!**

**Chapter 7's up, although I'm apologizing in advance because I'm not sure how this turned out. I've revised a few times but I seem to be off recently so I'm going ahead and posting this anyway. In case you guys hate it, consider this a filler chapter. Harhar. I'll try to finish the next one to make up for this chapter. Sorry :(**

**But still...enjoy :)**

* * *

"Do you ever wonder what it's like to fuck guys as hot as these ones running around the pool?"

Arya choked on her soda, some of the liquid coming right out of her nose. She turned to Renly, who was staring at Robb, Jon, Theon, Joffrey and Gendry as they played some sort of tag game in the pool-_Marco Polo_, she guessed-while Arya and Renly sat at the terrace overlooking the pool area.

"What the hell?" Arya shot back, wiping soda from her mouth and nose. "I'd understand if you're thinking about my brothers and cousin in that way, but for fuck's sake, just not your nephews!"

Renly laughed. "I was kidding, okay! It was a hypothetical question and not one you're supposed to think seriously about."

Ever since their first Sunday brunch together about two months ago, Arya and Renly had become fast friends. She figured out easily why Tommen, Joffrey and Gendry called their uncle _the best uncle in the whole wide world_. It's because Renly's just that-a fun, free-spirited, caring and loving uncle, with an I-don't-give-a-rat's-ass attitude. Arya thought about him as her Uncle Benjen…their one true savior during those times when he snuck them out for ice cream when Catelyn made them eat vegetables at dinner, kept them company during boring family gatherings, and took them to weekend movie dates when both their parents were too busy to take them themselves.

"Okay," Renly continued, staring back down to where the guys were pretending to drown each other. "let's just say they're not my nephews and not your brothers. Like they just happen to be in the pool as you walked in for some serious tanning, which you need, by the way." Renly said, pointing at her pale complexion.

Arya didn't know how to answer without giving herself away. She and Gendry tried so hard to keep everything as normal as possible, especially in front of the family. No one had a hint as to what happened that night, and they did their best to go back to how it was before the kiss. Arya knew they'd eventually get to the point where they'd just laugh it off, but it's been more than 2 months and Arya finds the task to be truly emotionally and physically draining. She'd often wonder if Gendry felt drained too.

"They're…ahhh…a pretty attractive group," Arya explained, but trying not to look at him in the eye.

"They are, aren't they?" Renly asked, pointing to Joffrey. "Look at my dear nephew, Joffrey. He's the very epitome of poster boy good looks, isn't he? Something like a Ken doll, or something."

Arya laughed. "And what do you know about dolls?"

"More than you know. Obviously, I prefer playing with dolls than playing with guns and skateboards."

"Oh, that I don't doubt," Arya said with a laugh.

"So," Renly continued with a twinkle in his eye. "Have you seen Gendry's abs? I swear he's been kissed by the GQ gods."

_Exactly what I was thinking when I first saw him_, Arya thought.

By this time, the guys moved from the pool and into the Jacuzzi.

_Oh God. The Jacuzzi. Why did it have to be that damn Jacuzzi?!_

She tried dismissing her wayward thoughts and did her best to sound unaffected. "Well, I guess he's got girls fawning over his looks," Arya said, trying not to stare at Gendry's sun-kissed and sweaty skin. "He's probably used to it already."

Renly raised a brow but opted not to say anything. _Hmm…curious, _he thought as he looked from his nephew to this young lady he now considers his friend. _They say curiosity killed the cat, but I'm definitely a stag_. _Stags are known for their grace and balance, and I definitely am a stag_.

Renly mentally shook his head. _Focus, Renly! Focus! _

He went back to studying the guys in the Jacuzzi and this girl sitting beside him. _Something's definitely up_, he thought, because he keeps seeing Gendry sneak glances in their direction, and he doesn't think his nephew has grown a sudden interest in him.

_Hmm…something's definitely up, I'll say. _

_Must. Find. Out._

With that thought, Renly tried to suppress the sly grin that's threatening to show on his face.

* * *

It was a Wednesday night, and as usual, the Stark siblings were huddled in front of Arya's laptop to video chat with the Starks in Storm's End. It was a requirement from their parents since it was the only way they get to see the rest of them over at King's Landing.

"Robb," Catelyn said with a slight shake of her head. "How many times have I told you not to grow facial hair? It looks so untidy!"

Jon stifled a laugh.

Catelyn raised her brows. "Stop laughing, Jon. I'm including you in this conversation. You both look so unkempt, what would the young ladies say when they see you sporting unnecessary facial hair?"

It was Robb's turn to suppress a laugh.

"They actually have this absurd belief that the ladies prefer _real men_ to have facial hair to intentionally make them look rugged, Aunt Cat" Theon said with a smirk. "Although I keep telling them that I have no problem with the ladies, even without facial hair."

Everyone laughed, even Catelyn. Well, everyone except Robb and Jon, who looked like they want to knock Theon out with a bat.

"And how's my little princess?" Ned asked Arya with a smile.

As stupid as she thinks it is, Arya tries hard not to show how emotional she is at the moment. Her throat's closing up and she's trying her hardest to keep the tears at bay. As much as she missed everyone, it was her father whom she misses the most. He's always the one she looks up to for advice and he's the one who helps keep her strength at times she need it the most. At 17, Arya still secretly loves it when her father calls her _his little princess_.

"I'm good, Dad," she said with a small smile on her face. "Robert and Cersei have been very good to me…to us."

Catelyn smiled. "Cersei tells me how much she adores you. You make me proud, Arya."

The guys made gagging sounds in the background, earning them a smack on the head each from Arya.

"How's Nymeria?" Arya asked, changing the topic.

She saw Bran wrestle the huge pet wolf to the front of the camera so Arya could see her. Nymeria must have recognized her owner on the screen because she started barking and wagging her tail. Arya laughed and touched the screen as if it would make her feel the wolf's soft fur. She missed her so much.

"How's my baby? Oh my god! Did she grow bigger than I last saw her?" Arya exclaimed, suddenly noticing how big she's gotten. Catelyn was trying to keep the wolf's tail from hitting her face, but Nymeria kept up with the excited tail-wagging. Catelyn raised her hands in surrender, much to her husband and her younger sons' amusement.

"Wait till you see her new tricks, Ar!" Rickon said excitedly. "Dad has a friend here who runs an animal training facility and he's been training our pets for a while now. His name's Syrio Forel and he's as good as Cesar Millan, I swear!"

"Dad," Bran said, turning to Ned. "Can we send them the video we took of them while in training?"

Ned replied, "Yeah, I could do that. I'll send it to Robb's email in a while."

"Hey, Dad," said Robb. "Do you think you could have the wolves flown over to King's Landing? Maybe if we could talk to the Baratheons about it?"

"No! We can't impose too much from them, Robb. They've already done _a lot_ for us," said Catelyn in a firm voice, putting an emphasis on _a lot_.

"We'll see," Ned answered, giving the Stark siblings a spark of hope that their wish might possibly be granted. Catelyn was looking at her husband, but he only shrugged in answer.

"Mom, it's not as if we're staying here for free. I mean, you guys send them money for our food, right?" Jon asked.

"True, true," Arya and Robb said in unison.

Catelyn exhaled deeply, probably thinking that this is another one of those times when she loses another fight with her kids and husband. "Why am I always the bad guy here?" she asked.

"You're not, Mom!" Arya pointed out, her excitement at the prospect of reuniting with her pet was so obvious. "You're the best!"

"Yes, you all keep telling me that every single time I have to admit defeat," Catelyn said, frustration evident in her voice.

"Alright, we have to go," Ned said softly. "Mom and I are having dinner with a colleague and his wife so we have to get ready. But I'll call you, okay?"

With sadness, the Starks disconnected the video chat.

"I hope Dad talks to Robert and Cersei ASAP," Jon said glumly. "I miss Ghost so bad."

"Ugh! Don't remind me," Arya said. "Did you see Nymeria? How did she get so big?!"

A sudden knock on the door turned their attention from talking about their pets. Theon got up from the bed and opened the door. It was Gendry.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt," he said, looking a bit sheepish. "Pizza's here, so you should just come down when you're done."

"Thanks, man," Robb said, getting up from Arya's desk chair. "I don't know about you, guys, but I'm starving!"

Everyone piled out of the room, all except for Arya and Gendry.

"Sorry about the pizza," he said, shifting from foot to foot. "Chef Baelish is off for the night and my parents are out for a dinner meeting. No one can cook, so…"

"I can," Arya said, a shy smile appearing on her face.

Gendry looked surprise. "Whoa."

"Whoa, what?"

He shrugged. "Just didn't expect _the_ Arya Stark to know her way around the kitchen."

She put her hands on her hips. "Did you just insult my cooking skills?"

Gendry laughed, raising both hands in mock surrender. "Whoa, hey! I didn't insult your skills! I said I didn't expect you to know how to cook. I didn't say you _can't_ cook. That's a totally different thing, you know."

_God, she looks so hot standing there with her hands on her hips. Hips that I'm sure I bruised that night in the Jacuzzi. _

_Stop that, Gendry._

"Okay, um, pizza's downstairs so…" he said, shaking off his once again improper thoughts.

"Yeah, okay. Um…" Arya said.

_Awkward much?_

"Okay."

"Okay."

But nobody moved an inch. They continued staring at each other, the few feet apart not preventing them from feeling the suffocating tension. Arya felt the goose bumps on her skin; as if an electric current is hovering in the room, and she wondered if Gendry was feeling it too.

"What are you guys doing?"

They both jumped at the sound of Tommen's voice. Gendry's little brother was looking at them weirdly; like they were caught doing something they weren't supposed to do. Except that they weren't really doing _anything_.

"Pizza," Arya piped in, trying to dispel the tension in the room. "Gendry came to say that pizza's here."

"Right, right," Gendry said with an enthusiastic nod. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

Tommen still looked at them warily. There was something amiss between these two, and he knew his brother enough to know that Gendry was only this jumpy when he's nervous about something.

And Gendry definitely seemed jumpy.

"Jon asked me to come get you both. Because you didn't come down with the others?" Tommen said, although it sounded more like a question than a statement.

He looked at Arya and noticed the pink stains on her cheeks. _She looks flushed_, Tommen thought, trying to figure out if she was feeling off today. Maybe because of a fever or…

_Did his brother just kiss Arya?!_

He would have asked it out loud if only his brother didn't grab his arm and dragged him out of the room. "Come on, squirt! Pizza time!"

_Okay, something's definitely up_, Tommen's thoughts nagged. _Maybe I'll find out soon enough._

* * *

Ned Stark called the following day to say that Robert and Cersei allowed Grey Wind, Ghost and Nymeria to be flown over to King's Landing. The Starks couldn't believe it at first, but Robert and Cersei confirmed the good news.

"We've had pets in the house before, so I don't see what the problem is with having your pets live with you here," Robert said. "There's plenty of room to run around, and Ned said these dogs are trained."

"Wolves," Robb corrected.

"Wolves?" Joffrey asked nervously. "Who the hell takes wolves as pets?"

"Apparently, we do," Arya said, rolling her eyes.

_Okay, wait. Maybe sarcasm's not a good idea since they're letting our pets stay here._

"They're good wolves," Arya explained to Joffrey, who still seemed nervous at the idea of having wolves running around the house. "There's no need to worry about them ripping your head off because they're trained by professionals."

_Stupid Arya!_ she told herself when she saw Joffrey blanch at the words _ripping your head off_.

Apparently, only Tommen looked excited about having wolves as temporary housemates. He looked as excited as Arya was, and even made her promise to let him walk them around the neighborhood.

_Although they run around more than they walk,_ but Arya didn't tell Tommen that, so she only said yes.

She looked at Gendry and saw he was as equally pale as Joffrey was. He stared at her and mouthed, "Wolves? Really?

She tried not to laugh because he looked like he was about to cry.

"Don't be such a baby!" she mouthed back, in which he responded with an eye roll.

_Ooh! This is going to be good! _


	8. Chapter 8

**(A/N: I lied. I can't seem to stop writing which means I can't stop posting the next chapter. So if this story ends faster than I wanted it to be, I'm sorry. I should probably forget my FFN password so I stop posting the next one. Okay, kidding!**

**But this might be the last one for a while, so I might finish several chapters before I post the next one.**

**As usual, thank you for still reading this. Appreciate it lots.**

**And to the anon, I did get the idea from that. But don't worry, I'm not doing anything from that story. Just the idea. And smile…you'll get your happy ending. *spoiler alert***

**Enjoy!)**

* * *

"No, no, no, no! Goddamnit!"

Jon laughed as Robb knocked his gun on the edge of the machine in frustration. They were at the game room playing on the old arcade machine. Them seemed pretty amused as Jon and Robb tried to shoot and kill, although it was more like amused over Robb.

"You're going down, fucker!" Robb shouted out as he shook his gun to reload. He seemed so engrossed in playing the game that he didn't realize how the rest of the group kept laughing over his _enthusiasm_.

"Careful, dickface!" Gendry shot back, as he stared at Robb in horror. "You just have to shake the gun to reload! No need to knock the machine with it! That's almost vintage, mind you!"

Jon punched Robb's arm as his brother kept cursing at the game. "If you end up destroying this, you're paying for it!"

"Shut up!" Robb smacked the back of Jon's head, earning a glare from the latter.

Arya only rolled her eyes, muttering "Boys!" under her breath.

Jon looked over to Arya and asked, "You wanna play?"

His sister shook her head. "Nah, I'm good," she said, flipping through TV channels. "You know that I'd only win, and at the rate Robb's going, he's only going to kill himself for real if I end up beating him."

"Ha!" Robb exclaimed smugly. "Not going to happen!"

"Maybe Tommen here can play against you," Arya nudged the boy sitting beside her. "But I doubt you still have a chance to win."

As the bickering kept on, Jon stole glances at Gendry, whom he noticed has been staring at his sister for a while now.

_The idiot's so obvious_, he thought. He's noticed a few changes recently; like how Gendry refused to be in the same room as his sister. Or the way they both (yes, Arya included) kept sneaking glances at each other when they think no one's watching. He can't exactly pinpoint when or how this came about, but he's guessing it had something to do with Gendry running out of Ramsay's party about 2 months ago. He almost followed him home just to make sure he and Arya won't be doing anything _inappropriate_, but he convinced himself not to do it because if he _does _find them in an awkward situation, he wouldn't know what his reaction would be. He neither wanted to physically hurt his friend or his sister.

But not following Gendry home that night didn't mean he didn't want to find out what's going on between these two.

The sudden ringing of Robb's phone broke into his thoughts and he shot his brother a warning glare. "You still haven't changed that stupid ringtone?"

"You still haven't changed your stupid face?" Robb answered back.

"Can you guys stop it? Robb, just answer your phone," Arya huffed.

Jon knew something was bothering Robb recently, but he kept pushing his buttons all the same. He knew he shouldn't be provoking him, but Jon's a little annoyed that his brother's sort of keeping something from him. They used to tell each other anything and everything, but that's not the case as of late. Robb's mind is always elsewhere and Jon should know better than to get on his nerves.

"Hello?" said Robb.

They heard only one side of the conversation, as Robb kept saying, "Yes, okay," "What?!", and "No, it's fine" before ending with "Holy shit."

He turned back to the others as soon as he ended the call. "Guys, you should come see this."

* * *

They were all gathered in the living room, waiting for whatever Robb didn't really want to say what. Arya was too puzzled to ask him, but they were all just sitting there waiting for something.

Or someone.

Because the moment the front door opened and in came Robert and Cersei, Someone followed them in. Everyone was too shocked to move.

"Dad!" Arya cried out, running into her father's embrace.

Ned chuckled as he enfolded his youngest daughter in his strong arms, burying his nose in her hair, smelling the all-too familiar scent of Arya that he missed so much. He wasn't sure if his daughter was crying, but her face was pressed onto his chest as if she never wanted to let go.

"Hey! Save some of those hugs for us!" Robb said, as he jokingly pried Arya away from their father. "Cersei called me first, so I should have gotten the first hug."

"There's more where that came from," Ned answered with a laugh. "Come here, Robb."

After giving hugs to Robb and Jon, he motioned to Theon and said, "Are you just going to stand there?"

Theon seemed too happy to see Ned too and quickly hugged his uncle. "It's great to see you, Uncle Ned," Theon said quietly. He's been raised by the Starks ever since he lost both his parents. They took him in and he never felt any different from his cousins. Ned and Catelyn treated him like his own son and Theon tried his best to show how much he appreciates that.

"It's great to see you again, Ned," Robert said, patting his friend's back. "I don't know if you remember my boys, but this here is Tommen."

Tommen gave a small wave and shyly said, "Hello."

Robert pointed to Joffrey next. "Joffrey just got back from the gym," he said, patting his middle son's back. "If you remember, he's the one who kept following Sansa around during summer vacations.

Everyone laughed as Joffrey turned beet red.

"Yes, I remember that pretty well," Ned chuckled.

"And this one here," Robert said, putting an arm around his eldest. "My eldest son, Gendry. I trust you remember this one pretty well."

"Of course," Ned said, his face blank. "The bubble gum incident."

Gendry wanted to die on the spot.

"Dad!" Arya hissed, nudging her father's side.

"Oh, my!" Cersei said, I've totally forgotten about that one!"

"I haven't," Ned said, still looking at Gendry.

The boys were snickering in the background, but Arya nudged her father again. She felt pity for Gendry, even if she was actually on the receiving end of that prank. It's been years since the incident and Arya has long forgiven him for it.

"But all's good," Ned added reluctantly.

Ned Stark looked at all three Baratheon boys and how different they all looked from each other, but he could tell the slight resemblance that would say they were Robert and Cersei's sons. He couldn't help but study Gendry, though. _The boy's all grown up, I see, _ Ned thought. He noticed that the excess weight had been shed and he's sporting a healthier figure. He knew Joffrey had been Sansa's type, and whoever was Sansa's type did not fall under Arya's type.

He wondered if Gendry falls under Arya's type, though.

"You must be tired from your flight," Cersei said, sitting beside Arya on the settee "Chef Baelish prepared something for tonight, so it won't be long before dinner starts."

"Actually, I have one more surprise for these rascals," Ned said, nodding his head towards his children. "You should find the surprise waiting for you out back."

It took the Starks less than 5 minutes to scamper out the back door in search of the surprise. They couldn't find anything immediately until Gendry and Joffrey stood frozen in fright.

"Oh dear god," Joffrey exclaimed, staring straight ahead.

"Well, shit," Gendry muttered before backing slowly. He bumped into Joffrey, who appeared to be slowly backing away too.

Standing a few feet away from them are the Stark's wolves.

"Nymeria!"

Gendry heard Arya call out to her pet. The wolf immediately recognized her owner and vaulted towards Arya. Problem was, Ghost and Grey Wind started running towards Jon and Robb too, who were now sitting on their haunches with their arms outstretched. The Starks were laughing as they were once again reunited with their pets. Even Tommen looked giddy with excitement as he witnessed the reunion.

Only 2 people were not too happy about seeing the huge wolves. Joffrey and Gendry looked about ready to bolt. Before the wolves came any closer, Joffrey finally said, "I'm outta here!" before quickly heading back to the back entrance. Gendry, on the other hand, was not so quick. He was standing there, afraid to move, because Nymeria suddenly found him interesting and crept closer.

_Oh God, Oh God, Oh God, Oh God! _

Nymeria suddenly started sniffing his shoes. They stared at each other; slowly sizing each other up. Gendry stood there holding his breath. Nymeria, on the other hand, started growling. A low, menacing sound that made the hair on Gendry's nape and arms stand on end.

_I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die!_

Amidst the blood roaring in his ears, Gendry heard Arya call out, "Nymeria! To me!"

She kept up with the growls, although they were softer this time, but she backed away slowly before jogging back to Arya.

"Don't let her frighten you," Arya said. "She senses your fear."

"That's a fucking wolf, Arya!" Gendry exclaimed. "You think wolves are as cuddly as teddy bears?"

"Gendry! Language!" Robert snapped.

Ned frowned. "I'm sorry," he said to the Baratheons. "I thought everything was fine before you approved of this."

Cersei waved her hand in dismissal. "No! No worries!" She glanced pointedly at Gendry. "They're used to dogs, but not wolves. I bet they'll be used to these babies faster than they think."

Cersei shot her son a warning look, to which he responded with an eye roll.

"It's fine, sir," Gendry told Ned. "I just wasn't expecting them to be this…"

Nymeria started growling again.

"…big." Gendry finished warily.

After a while, Robert and Cersei invited Ned over to Robert's office, taking this opportunity to discuss a few business concerns.

"Hey," Jon said, nodding to Gendry. "You want to come meet Ghost?"

"You fucking come near me with that monster and I'll thrash your car, dude," Gendry warned.

"You just try hurting Nymeria and I'll kick your balls up your throat!" Arya spit out the warning before realizing it was a rude thing to say. The Baratheons allowed their pets to stay, after all, and despite Gendry's threat (which sounds empty, by the way) they still allowed the wolves into their home.

"Sorry," Arya muttered an apology.

Gendry only nodded. "Just…just make sure they don't do any harm to anybody."

Arya figured _anybody _ to be him and Joffrey, but she only nodded in reply.

Gendry took one last look at the wolves before going back to the house.

* * *

Gendry couldn't sleep that night. Blaming the 2 mugs of coffee he consumed after dinner time, he dragged himself out of bed and decided to head down to the kitchen for a glass of water and maybe some leftovers he could find in the fridge.

Taking out a bottle of water and placing a slice of cake on a plate, he took a quick detour towards the family room to watch TV for a bit. Ten minutes later, the hair on the back of his nape rose as he heard a low growl somewhere behind him. The sound was getting closer and closer, rendering Gendry petrified.

He thought he was going to faint when the wolf he was guessing to be Nymeria suddenly appeared in front of him, staring him down with those gray eyes much like her owner's.

_Oh Lord. Not good._

"It's okay."

He couldn't turn around in fear of the wolf pouncing as soon as he turns his head, but he recognized the soft voice to be Arya's, and somehow, he felt relieved.

"Don't show her you're scared," she continued, her voice like a soothing balm calming his senses. "I know it's hard not to show fear, but Nymeria's not as wild as you think she is."

"Okay, not so much," she said in truth after a beat.

"Not helping!" Gendry growled.

Arya would have laughed if only he didn't look so scared right now. She would have joked that he actually sounded like her pet, but maybe she could tell that joke some other time. Instead, she sat at the end of the couch and called for Nymeria to move closer to her.

"Thanks," she heard Gendry mutter. She shifted to take a good look at his pale face. He seemed to relax a bit, but still not enough to make him release his death grip on the remote.

They were silent for a while. Gendry could feel a headache starting because his eyes were shifting between the TV and Nymeria.

"She's not a pure wolf, you know," Arya said a while later. "Pure wolves cannot be domesticated and should be left running in the wild. They have to be in packs. They survive in packs."

"They're what you call wolfdogs," she continued. "Alaskan malamutes are the most favorable breed to cross with a wolf. Huskies can be another one, but they're more hyper and can be quite a handful. Although many would argue that any breed is _acceptable _because they believe that these wolves are wild animals and should be left alone."

Gendry seemed to be taking this new information in that Arya found the need to quickly add, "But I'm no expert so I hope you stop looking like you're studying for a test," Arya laughed.

Gendry laughed along, the tension from his body easing a bit. Arya couldn't resist looking over at him. It's been a while since they've hung out alone, and it was a feeling she missed. _Thank you, Nymeria!_

"I'm sorry," Gendry said in a soft voice. He looked over to Arya and noticed her surprised look. "I didn't mean to be so rude earlier."

She looked down as she mumbled, "I should be the one sorry, you know. It's your home and we've invaded it, our pets tagging along for the ride."

"You know you're always welcome here, Arya," he said. His blue eyes boring into her gray ones and Gendry finds himself coming undone. Again.

Nymeria whined, making both Gendry and Arya jump at the sound.

"So," Gendry said, clearing his throat a bit. "Why are you up at 1 am?"

"Why are _you_ up at 1 am?" she asked in return.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Me too," she admitted lamely, earning another laugh from Gendry.

"Nymeria, is it?" he asked, carefully eyeing the pet.

Arya answered quietly, "Yes."

As if sensing that she was being watched, Nymeria's ears perked at the sound of her name and stared back at Gendry. She tilted her head, somehow sizing him up as to whether he was a friend or a threat.

Suddenly feeling brave, he thought about how Arya summoned her pet earlier and decided to give it a try. He only hoped he'd still have his hand, or worse, his head, afterwards.

"Nymeria," he said, hoping that his voice sounded steady and unaffected as opposed to what he was actually feeling. "To me."

Nymeria gave a small growl and continued to stand there, staring at Gendry and his outstretched hand. Gendry tried his best to keep it as steady as he could, and praying that the wolf does not bite his hand off instead of obeying.

Arya watched them for a long while until her breath caught in her throat and she lost the ability to breathe. Her chest felt constricted, whether from anxiety or excitement, she didn't know. But all those she felt when she watched her pet slowly move towards Gendry and his outstretched hand.

Her beloved pet leapt on the couch and positioned herself in between them before placing her head on Gendry's lap.

Nymeria has found a new friend.


	9. Chapter 9

He watched them.

Ned sat alone in the breakfast nook, having woken up later than he would have wanted to. Robert and Cersei were off somewhere and gave instructions to the house staff to make sure that their guest was well taken care of. Ned assured them that he was fine doing things on his own, but the staff insisted all the same.

He was sitting there, the others having finished breakfast and was scattered all over the house. He was leaving for Storm's End tomorrow, having done his purpose of bringing Nymeria, Grey Wind and Ghost over to his children. He would have like to stay and spend more time with his kids, but he has business to go back to.

His eyes followed their every move, these two; watching as they played with Nymeria in the lawn. He's taking advantage of his location; not easily seen from the outside looking in, but with a perfect view of the lawn from where he was sitting. Where his daughter goes, he goes. When she sits on the grass, he does the same. When he moves to a different spot, she gets up and follows. They were like magnets; opposites attracting each other like the North and South poles. For all their tangible and intangible differences, they seemed to be like one and the same person.

Ned has never felt so scared in his life.

Sansa has had boyfriends before, but Arya was different. She's never had boyfriends before and Ned felt that sinking feeling in his stomach that there was something going on between the two. He would have to ask Arya later, when he gets the chance to talk to his daughter alone. _If_ Gendry finally allows being away from her even for a short while, though Ned doubted Gendry knew he was unconsciously doing it.

_Just to make sure she's not going to get into something brash that would end up with her getting hurt_, he thought. Although he knew he was trying to convince himself more than anyone.

He took a sip of his coffee, his eyes staring intently on the two as they took turns throwing a Frisbee for the wolf to catch. Gendry looked like he was now at ease with the animal, leaving Ned wondering how or when it happened. Wasn't it only yesterday when he was close to fainting at the sight of Arya's pet, and now he's out there tossing Frisbees and scratching her behind the ears. He was going to bet Arya had something to do with it, though.

"I see you've noticed them too."

Ned looked around to see both his sons walk inside the room. Robb took the seat across him and Jon took the one beside.

Robb snatched a piece of toast from Ned's plate and bit into it. "You want us to beat him up, Dad?"

Ned chuckled. "I want to see you try, Robb. You will be answering to Arya in case you get around to doing it."

Both his sons laughed.

"But I know you won't do it. He seems like a good guy." Ned added.

"As much as I'd like to pummel him to a pulp," Jon said with a grimace. "Gendry's a good friend."

"Besides, I don't think there's anything official between them," Robb added. "I see an attraction, but I don't think they've done anything about it."

Ned laughed. "You boys realize that we're actually gossiping about your sister like Mom and Sansa gossips about movie stars?"

"Oh, hell no!" Robb cringed. "Hey, Dad? You think we could all go out today or something? Just us four."

"Are we having a freeze-out with Theon right now?" Ned raised his brow in question.

Robb shook his head. "No! No! Theon's out with Ramsay and some other friends, he won't be back till late tonight."

"And you plan to leave the wolves with the Baratheons?"

Jon shrugged. "Gendry's okay with them now. And all three 3 have taken a liking to Tommen, so all's good. In fact, he's got both Grey Wind and Ghost in his room."

"And Joffrey?"

"Joffrey's a fucking wuss, he can just lock himself in his room and die a wuss," Jon laughed.

Ned frowned. "That's not a very nice thing to say about the family who's taken you all under their roof."

Jon and Robb just sat there staring at their father. Ned laughed a while later.

"Come on," he said as he got up from his seat and took one last look at Arya and Gendry, who were still out there playing with Nymeria. "A day out might just be what we need."

* * *

"You okay?"

Robb turned to Jon, who seemed to have asked the question guardedly. He nodded and shrugged in answer before turning back to face the table where the Starks were having a late lunch. They were out checking the central business district of Kings Landing, where the high-end stores are situated and coffee shops, restaurants and bars littered the area. They spent most of the morning just going around and trying out some of the mouth-watering food that caught their fancy.

Jon noticed that Robb seemed distracted again, getting withdrawn from the group from time to time. He was dying with curiosity, but Jon didn't want to push his brother into talking when he didn't seem ready. Today was worse, though, because when he thinks no one's watching, he gets distracted and aloof. A frown is semi-permanently etched on his face, his eyes show a far-away look and his mouth a grim line. Even if their father and sister fail to notice it, seeing as they were busy telling stories, Jon saw it. Saw it and felt it.

_Was it because of a girl?_

Robb has had girlfriends before but he's never been this distracted. Despite his brother's outgoing and carefree personality, he's not the type to lose his head over a girl, even if he's head over heels in love. He didn't know if Robb was seeing anyone lately, but then again Robb has been keeping to himself more these days.

"Hey," Jon nudged his arm , trying to catch his brother's attention again. "You don't look okay, Robb. Talk to me."

"It's fine, Jon" he replied a bit harshly. He looked at Jon and saw his brother's concerned face and added with a softer voice this time, "Thanks for asking, though."

Jon looked over at Arya and their father and saw they were engrossed with taking photos of the scene outside the restaurant window. He took this chance to push a little further until he could somehow get his older brother to talk.

"Bro, I know you. Like, really well. Something's up. Tell me, maybe I could help. Is it a girl?" Jon asked quietly.

Robb chuckled and Jon exhaled in relief at the joyful sound of it. "No, no! Nothing of that sort."

"But _there_ _is_ something bothering you, at least you admit that?"

Robb dipped his finger in his glass of water and rubbed his finger around the rim of the glass. They used to play with glasses of water when they were younger, enjoying the different sound pitches the glass makes.

"Yes," he said finally.

"Spill."

"Now's not the right time, Jon. I'll tell you tonight, I promise. I don't want Dad or Arya to hear about what's bothering me," he explained. "It's not about a girl, trust me," he added quickly.

Jon nodded in agreement. "Okay. Tonight, then."

"You boys ready to go?" Ned asked, putting his camera away and nodding to his sons.

"Where to now?" Robb asked.

* * *

"What the fuck, Arya! You're hurting me!"

"Don't be such a sissy! How can I even possibly hurt you one bit?"

Both her brothers laughed.

"Oh, you don't know how dangerous you can be!" Jon said, laughing.

"I'll show you how dangerous I can be if you don't shut it."

"Boys, boys," Ned scolded. He saw Arya looking at him with an incredulous expression. "And you too, young lady," he added quickly. "Stop bickering. And stop moving around, Jon. You just stomped on my foot."

"Sorry, Dad," Jon replied sheepishly. "Robb's elbow is digging into my ribs!"

"The light's on! Get ready!" Arya exclaimed excitedly.

They all turned to face the front, plastering big, silly grins on their faces and waited for the flash to go off.

"Who's idea was it anyway to get cramped inside a photo booth?" Robb muttered while still wearing a grin on his face.

"Mine," Ned said with a laugh, making everyone join in.

"And 5…4…say _WINTER IS COMING_!" Ned said happily.

They all exclaimed, "WINTER IS COMING!"

* * *

Tommen stared at Joffrey with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "It's okay, Joff. He won't bite."

"You say that now, but wait till he takes a chunk off your ass!"

The three Baratheon brothers were left to care for the pets, much to Joffrey's horror. Only Tommen and Gendry seemed at ease with them, having spent time playing with them. The wolves could be a handful, especially Nymeria, who seems to have taken her owner's stubbornness.

"They can smell your fear, you know," Gendry explained, mimicking Arya's words to him in the beginning. "Just don't be too jumpy and try not to act aggressively in front of them. They won't show aggression if you don't show them the same. Just try to call out their name first, see how they react to it."

"If they take a bite out of my hand, I'll tear down your car interiors!" Joffrey threatened.

Gendry only laughed. "Make sure it's not an empty threat!"

"Who's the less aggressive of them all?" Joffrey asked cautiously.

_Uh, no one?_ Gendry thought, but made sure he didn't say that out loud. "Try Ghost."

They heard Joffrey mutter a few expletives before trying a moment later. "Ghost…"

"Why don't you try putting your hand out, Joff?" Tommen suggested.

Joffrey held his hand out a while later, still softly calling out Ghost's name. Grey Wind and Nymeria were circling the area but still sticking close to their brother, occasionally glancing at Joffrey's outstretched hand. To Joffrey's surprise, all three wolves crept closer to him.

Tommen noticed how pale Joffrey had become so he tried to encourage his brother more. "You're doing good. Just let them come closer until they're at ease with you."

It was funny how the youngest was comforting the older one.

Thirty minutes later, the Starks walked in the family room to find a sleeping Joffrey on the floor with Ghost huddled next to him. Gendry, on the other hand, was asleep on the couch with Nymeria snuggled across his legs. Only Tommen was awake, as he and Grey Wind were sprawled on the floor while watching TV.

The Stark siblings would have laughed at the sight that greeted them, if only Joffrey and Gendry didn't look so peaceful sleeping there. Jon and Robb waved a hand to Tommen, who waved back in greeting.

"We're going to help Dad pack," Robb said to Arya, who was standing there watching Gendry sleep. "You coming or do you just want to stand there and be a creepy stalker?"

Arya whipped her head around so fast she swears she must have twisted a vein. "I'm not a stalker."

Robb chuckled. "If you say so."

"Well, I'm not!"

Robb raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, Arya. I just hope you stop gaping at my sleeping friend there if you don't want anybody telling you you're a creepy stalker."

"Oh my god!" Arya said in embarrassment.

"Yes, oh my god." Robb said in a mocking tone. "Bye, Arya," he teased as he slowly backed away from the room, leaving a very much annoyed Arya.

When both her brothers were gone, she turned her attention back to Gendry, who was still asleep. He looked so relaxed lying on the couch, his arms crossed over his chest, Nymeria lying across his legs and feet, as if she were a fur blanket that would keep him from the cold. The only thing Arya wanted to do was to lie beside his sleeping form and share his warmth. She imagined his arms encircling her, pulling her closer even as he sleeps. She remembers his scent very well; his clean guy scent as if he just stepped out of the shower even if he's just returned from a basketball game with his brothers, or the scent of his freshly-laundered shirts that makes Arya want to bury her nose in his chest for days. Arya strongly resisted the urge to crawl beside him until she remembered they were not alone in the room.

_Oh. My. God._

She wasn't worried about Joffrey because he was still asleep on the floor with Ghost huddled next to him, which leaves one more brother to worry about. She peeked over the coffee table and saw Tommen lying on the floor, the TV appears to have been long-forgotten. He was watching her with round curious eyes, and Arya felt herself blush from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes.

She did the only thing she could think of-Arya Stark rushed out of the room, doing her little walk of shame.


	10. Chapter 10

Ned left the following morning, leaving 3 unhappy Starks and an equally unhappy Greyjoy nephew. The 3 Baratheon siblings were looking from afar, giving the siblings time to say goodbye to their father before he got in the car. Gendry noted how glum Arya looked, and was 100% sure that she felt as glum as she looked. His thoughts drifted back to his earlier conversation with _the_ Ned Stark and wished he didn't say or do anything inappropriate. He did remember cringing, though, when Arya was mentioned.

_"I see the wolves have taken a liking to you and your brothers," Ned said._

_Gendry was in the garage, tinkling with the Impala's engine. He looked over the hood and saw Arya's father slowly walking towards him. He was looking the Impala over, whistling softly in appreciation as he saw how beautiful the restoration work came about._

_"Did you do this by yourself?"_

_Gendry shook his head. "Techinically, no. I would have wanted to, and I had to do research as to what parts to purchase but the real dirty work was done by a friend of mine who runs a shop. Although I made sure I did my share of work and had a say on what I wanted and where it goes."_

_"You did pretty good, then," Ned replied with a small smile._

_"Thanks."_

_Gendry watched as Ned continued studying the car; moving around and occasionally touching a few parts here and there. He didn't know why, but Gendry was hungry for approval on his work. It's as if a small approval from Ned Stark goes a long way._

_And maybe Gendry needs all the approval he can get if it means being with Arya sometime in the future._

_Way into the future._

_"Are these the original seatbelts?"_

_"Sadly, no," Gendry answered. "The original owner had an accident and somehow, the belt was pried loose, I don't really know how. But those are chrome lift latch buckles. And these door mirrors here…see the bowtie emblem? They cost me a fortune but I like how awesome they look once installed."_

_Ned nodded in agreement. He opened the car door and took a seat, looking around the car's interior. "I see these aren't the original sound system."_

_"Yeah. I wanted to make it at least up to date with technology, so I had this custom autosound stereo installed that's actually iPod compatible. Plus, a CD and DVD system to boot."_

_Gendry reached over to push a button and out popped a small monitor. Ned laughed in approval before getting out and moving on to the engine._

_"See this here? I got this THM 400 aluminum transmission pan at half the price. It was almost a shocking $500, but well worth it."_

_He pointed out a few more parts, noting that Ned seemed genuinely interested and impressed._

_Baratheon, plus 50 points!_

_They talked a bit more about battery cables, exhaust systems, fuel lines, cylinders and hydraulic pumps. _

_"Arya's a good girl."_

_Gendry bumped his head on the car's hood in surprise. The change of topic came as a shock to him that Gendry stood there with an utterly stupid expression on his face._

_"Excuse me, sir?"_

_Ned chuckled. "You heard me, Gendry. There's no need to beat around the bush."_

_"I...I don't understand what…" Gendry stammered._

_Ned's expression turned serious. "Oh, I know you do. There might not be anything official per se, but I do realize this might be going somewhere if not now, in the future."_

_"I…I mean…clearly, sir…I" Gendry stammered on._

_Ned waved his hand in dismissal. "I see my daughter's happier lately than when I last saw her back home in Winterfell. I'm not the only one who's noticed it, and I was told that, ah, you might have something to do with it. Partly, maybe."_

_"Arya's a good girl," Ned repeated. "She might be stubborn at times and quite opinionated, but she's very good…very loving. I hope you don't take advantage of that."_

_Gendry could only shake his head._

_Ned nodded. "So we understand each other then," he added before walking away. _

_He stoppeda for a moment, turned to Gendry and said, "If you hurt her…well…I hope you know that Grey Wind, Ghost and Nymeria has a sister named Lady and two more brothers named Summer and Shaggydog." _

_"Now I know, sir," Gendry replied with a gulp._

_"And I trust that this conversation is left between us?"_

_"You can count on it, sir," Gendry replied meekly._

_Ned walked back towards the house. "I'm glad we had this talk, Gendry."_

_Baratheon, minus 50 points!_

* * *

That afternoon, the brothers took Jon's newly-repaired car for a spin. Jon paid a fortune at Tobho Mott's, but seeing as he is Gendry's trusted friend and an excellent mechanic, he had no regrets handing over his money.

After 30 minutes of driving around, Jon parked the car in front of _Doughnuts of Dorne_ and looked over to Robb. "You feel like having doughnuts and coffee?"

"And maybe that long overdue talk?" Robb chuckled as he unlatched his seatbelt and got out of the car.

Hot Pie waved at them from the other end of the shop, giving a few instructions to the staff before personally coming over to greet them.

"Hey, guys! How are my favorite Starks?" Hot Pie said, standing beside their booth.

"We're the only Starks you know, Hot Pie," Jon said with a grin. "But I'm pretty sure I remember you telling Arya that, too."

Hot Pie only laughed in response. "Are you guys ordering anything?"

"Actually, no," said Robb. "We just came over to see if we could waste some good clientele space and fuck up your sales for the day," he added while trying to keep a straight space.

"Fuck your Stark sarcasm," Hot Pie said, rolling his eyes. "You Starks are very good with sarcasm, you know."

"I call it _Starkasm_," Robb replied. He noticed Jon was trying to keep a straight face as well.

Hot Pie furrowed his brows. "A what?"

Jon laughed this time. "Never mind! I'd like some cappuccino and those famous Dornish cheesecakes, please."

"I'll have the same, but make it a caramel macchiato, please," Robb said with a smile.

As soon as Hot Pie left, Robb sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "Jon Stark, we have a problem."

"_We_? We have a problem?" Jon asked, his forehead creasing in confusion. "I don't have a problem, Robb. I think _you_ have a problem."

Robb playfully kicked Jon's shin under the table, earning a hiss from the latter. "You're in this whether you like it or not, bro."

"Enlighten me."

"I think Theon's in trouble," Robb said without hesitation. "Or at least, I think it's heading that way."

"What kind of trouble?" Jon asked, concern suddenly etched on his face.

"I think he's gone and befriended the wrong kind of people. Have you noticed how Gen and Joff rarely see Ramsay nowadays?"

Jon looked deep in thought. "I have. Been wondering about that, actually."

Robb shrugged. "I have, too. Until I ran into Ramsay and his no-good friends at the end of Trident Avenue. I made sure I wasn't seen, though."

"What kind of trouble are they in?"

Before Robb could answer, Hot Pie came back with the orders. "This one's on me, guys," he said with a grin. The brothers tried to protest, but Hot Pie said no one should decline offers for food. Except if it was from the rival doughnut shop at the other end of the street. The Starks laughed and happily thanked him for everything.

Robb turned serious again once their friend left. "Drugs," he replied without flinching.

He stared at his brother and saw the different emotions that crossed his face. Surprise to realization to anger. He understood his brother perfectly, because those were the same emotions he felt when he found out what Ramsay and his friends were doing. The first thing he thought of was that these guys will crash and burn, and their cousin will come crashing with them.

"You think Theon's using?" Jon asked quietly.

Robb shook his head. "I don't think so. I went through his room as soon as I found out, but it's either he's not using or he doesn't keep his stash there."

Jon paled at the possibility of their cousin getting into drugs.

Robb nudged Jon with his foot. "Don't worry, I try to check his room at least once a week. There's nothing there, and I don't see anything weird about Theon. Yet."

Jon nodded, slowly taking the words in.

"I tried keeping it to myself but I figured if I don't tell you now, it might be too late," Robb added.

"You did the right thing, bro," Jon said. "We should watch out for Ramsay and his guys. Theon too, in case he starts acting weird. For a while there, I thought it was a girl that's bothering you."

Robb laughed. To which Jon added in a teasing tone, "Or maybe a guy?"

Robb intentionally stomped on his foot this time, getting a string of expletives from Jon.

"No seriously! It crossed my mind, man!"

"I'm not about to pull a Renly, okay. Now shut up and eat your cake."

* * *

"Hon, I'm heading out to the office right now for an emergency meeting with Walder Frey. Dad's out for a meeting with Uncle Stannis and Davos Seaworth. I have to go to this meeting."

Cersei strode into the kitchen and went straight to where her eldest son was seated, drinking a glass of orange juice and reading the latest _Hot Rod_ issue.

Gendry nodded. "I assume you'll be home late?"

Cersei kissed her son's forehead, making him feel like he was once again 10 years old. She laughed and playfully smacked his arm when he pretended to gag.

"Yes, Dad and I will be home late," draping her arm around Gendry's broad shoulders. "I'm sorry, hon, you're going to have to pick up Tommen from his guitar lessons. Joff's out with some friends, so are Robb and Jon. Think you could manage that?"

"Of course, Mom," he replied. "For a price."

Cersei laughed. "Spoken like a true businessman. Soon, you'll be taking over the family business and Dad and I will be unemployed."

Gendry pointed to his watch and said, "Meeting, remember? Don't be late."

Cersei muttered a curse under her breath, grabbing an apple from the fruit basket and kissing his cheek this time. "Alright, I have to go! Thanks, honey!"

She quickly walked out of the kitchen, as fast as her 4-inch heels could take her, but she stopped as soon as she remembered something.

"Oh! You might want to take Arya with you," she said, a glint of mischief twinkling in her eyes. "She was in her room before I came to look for you."

She left in a rush, leaving a stunned-looking Gendry staring at her retreating form.

* * *

Gendry glanced at his watch and realized they were 30 minutes early. Tommen replied to his text that he'll be out in about 20 more minutes, but for now, _"Stop texting me_, _Gen. I'm trying to nail these barre chords! Later!"_

"Is this where Tommen takes guitar lessons?" Arya asked, as Gendry parked the Impala right across the school. She studied the building right up front, where the name _Jaqn's House of Music_ was printed on the glass window. There were guitars, a piano and a drum set on display.

"Is this a music store _and_ school?" she asked.

"Yeah. They have music teachers who teach whatever instrument you want. I think they give voice lessons, too. Nothing big, but they _do_ _have_ the best teachers I've seen and heard out there."

"I tried picking up the guitar once," Arya said, wrinkling her nose. "Not successful!"

Gendry grinned. "Oh yeah? I can play a 9th fret and a major 3rd higher to the 13th fret then a major 3rd higher to the 17th…augmented triad…3 notes on a string…?"

Arya looked at him like he was talking jibberish. "Show off."

He laughed. "I'm sorry. I forget that you can't reach all those strings because your hand is too small, your fingers too short."

Arya twisted in her seat to look at him with disbelieving eyes. "I do not!"

"You do!"

"I'm hurt," she said, looking at her fingers all the same. "My fingers are perfectly normal!"

"No, they're short," Gendry repeated. "Here, hold them up like this."

He held up his right hand and grabbed her right hand with his left. He placed her hand facing his, their palms touching. Her hand obviously came up short compared with his.

It took them a moment to realize that they were skin to skin, and Gendry felt the tips of his fingers tingle with electricity. He swears he could feel it right to the roots of his hair, and he tried his best not to shiver from it. Arya must have felt it too, because her eyes slowly went to his, holding his stare until she felt the need to blink. It took them a few more minutes before they put their hands down.

Problem is, her small hand was still engulfed in his big ones.

_Should I let go? Oh my god!_, Arya screamed internally.

She heard Gendry clear his throat, but they were both staring straight ahead, not daring to look back into each others eyes.

_What the fuuuuuck! He's still holding my hand!_

"Your hand is soft," Gendry whispered, turning his head a bit to look at her. He saw Arya's cheeks turn pink that he couldn't help but add, "I like the feeling of it in my hand."

_Was that a cool thing to say? Oh my fucking god, I'm holding her hand._

"I like it, too," came her soft reply.

_Oh my fucking god. _Gendry chanced a glance in her direction and saw that she was smiling, although she was still looking straight ahead. He felt braver at that moment, and threaded his fingers with hers so that their hands fit even better.

Arya laughed, a wondrous sound he hasn't heard in a while. He loved it, loved the sound of it, because he was the reason for it. He felt his chest constrict and he found it hard to breathe. When he felt her fingers squeeze his tightly, he was gone.

Gendry Baratheon's heart just flew right out of his chest and into her hands.

When Tommen finally got inside the car, he sensed something different in the air. Through the rearview mirror, he could see his brother grinning like an idiot, sneaking glances at the beautiful girl sitting shotgun. She was leaning a bit closer to him, grinning the same silly grin his brother was sporting. Tommen's gaze flew lower still and found the reason for it.

Gendry was holding Arya's hand.

* * *

**(A/N: Nope, I'm hopeless at guitar-playing. I got that one somewhere online, and someone was saying something about that 3 notes on a string. Or whatever. I'm hopeless, remember! Lol.)**


	11. Chapter 11

**(A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you for the favorites/follows/for reading/reviewing and still sticking with this story. I hope I'm still keeping this interesting for you guys. Help me out here lol. And yes, expect more Gendry and Arya in the coming chapters. Wink! Wink!)**

* * *

"I'm not lying! I promise!"

Tommen said, his right hand raised as a sign of truth and a promise. He looked like he was about to cry that Renly had to laugh.

"Okay! Okay! I believe you!" Renly said as he pulled his nephew in a one-armed hug.

They were out for some ice cream and a bit of shopping when Tommen relayed the story about what he saw the other day.

"I didn't see them kissing, though," Tommen added, the disappointment in his tone obvious. "I just saw them holding hands. I've been trying to see if I could catch them kissing, but those two are sneaky."

_Sneaky kids!_ Renly thought, slightly amused.

"I've noticed your brother steal glances at Arya, although I didn't give much thought to it before. But maybe I should have…seems like you beat me to some juicy gossip," Renly said with a chuckle. "Do you work part-time for _Gossip Girl_?"

His nephew glared at him. "I don't watch girly shows."

"Yes, yes," Renly said, waving a hand in dismissal. "Obviously, I'm the one who watches the girly shows. But despite your reaction, you _do_ know what _Gossip Girl _is."

"Mom used to watch it."

"Fine, fine, fine," Renly said, his eyes rolling. "I'm shining, shimmering, splendid and all things pink and obviously you're not."

Tommen laughed.

They have just rounded the corner when Renly suddenly had an idea that made him giddy with excitement, much like a school boy. He pulled Tommen inside the first store that they came across. Only when he saw Tommen's embarrassed state did he realize he pulled his 10 year-old nephew inside a _Victoria's Secret _store. He immediately dragged Tommen back outside and went inside the next store which is, thankfully, a book store called _Luwin's._

"Okay, I have an idea," Renly said excitedly, pulling his nephew somewhere in between shelves (but careful to steer clear of the adult fiction section). "We're going to plan the most devious _modus operandi_ of all time. Of. All. Time."

Tommen stared blankly at his excited uncle. _Kanye much?_

"You're going to love this!" Renly said with a devilish grin.

"Question is, will I get in trouble for it?"

"If you were my son, I'd smack your head right now," Renly scoffed. "But because I love you, my nephew, I'll let that pass. Don't you trust _the best uncle in the world_?"

"Of course," Tommen replied with a nod.

Renly leaned in to whisper something in Tommen's ear, making the young boy grin with new-found excitement. He nodded when he agreed with his uncle and whispered back when he wanted to make a few changes.

Renly straightened up as soon as he finished, happy that his nephew finally shared in his excitement.

"And _that,_" he said with a hand flourish. "is how you get two hopeless and horny people together."

* * *

Robb watched as Ramsay walked through the front door and greeted Gendry with a fist bump. He turned to him next and gave a small wave. Robb waved back in acknowledgement, although his smile was a bit strained. He saw Gendry sneak a glance in his direction and knew that his friend must be feeling the same thing he did.

"Haven't seen you assholes in a long time!" Ramsay exclaimed as he plopped himself on the couch. "And you, Gendry, my man, left my fucking party in a fucking rush I'm thinking you were off to fuck some hooker and you didn't want us to know!" Ramsay added with a laugh.

Gendry winced at his words. "I don't do hookers, you douche. And I had somewhere important to be that night."

"Yeah whatever, man," Ramsay made an L sign with his fingers and placed it on his forehead. "You have to introduce me to your, ahem, _lady_ friends and let me know if their services satisfy your man-whore needs. I might acquire their services one of these days!"

Robb could see Gendry's jaw clench and knew he was fighting back an angry retort. He had to give it to his friend at being able to restrain his anger. If it were Robb, his fist would be planted on Ramsay's face right this very minute. "Come on, bro," he said, trying to dissipate the tension in the air. He could see that Ramsay was just saying everything in jest, but Gendry didn't seem to be amused by it. "Theon's out back."

"Adios, studmuffin!" Ramsay joked one last time, pointing to Gendry before retreating.

"Later, prick," Gendry muttered under his breath before heading off to his room.

Fifteen minutes later, he heard a knock and saw Robb peek inside his room.

"You busy?" he asked.

Gendry was lying on his bed, tossing a basketball in the air and catching it; repeating the motion again and again. "Nope. Just lying here, thinking."

Robb took a seat on the blue bean bag next to the bed and patted Gendry's knee. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Gendry continued to toss the ball in the air. "About Ramsay?"

"Yeah."

Gendry snorted. "Ramsay's a dickhead."

"Tell something I don't know."

"He's a dickheaded junkie."

"I said," Robb stressed. "Tell me something I don't know."

Gendry immediately sat up and raised his brow at Robb. "So you _do_ know that he uses and deals?"

"Not till recently."

"I had no idea either. Not until Raff and Polli came up to me and asked if I wanted to get in on their _little_ business. Which is a moronic thing to do, you know. You can't just walk up to people and ask them if they want to deal drugs, friend or not."

Robb had to laugh at that.

"Have you tried talking to Theon about it?" Gendry asked.

"I don't know how to ask him," Robb explained. "I rarely see him nowadays. And when I do, it's always about how Ramsay and his friends are the fucking best mates he's ever had."

"You know what I think? I don't think Theon knows anything about Ramsay's extracurricular activities. For now, I think your cousin's clean."

"Ditto. But if someone doesn't tell him soon, he might end up a dickheaded junkie too."

"Does Jon know?" Gendry asked, to which Robb nodded in answer.

Gendry stood and tossed the ball to his friend. "Well, we've got some serious conference due soon. We might as well plan."

* * *

"Well, why don't you ask her out?" Arya asked Bran during their video chat that afternoon.

Bran shrugged. "I don't know if she likes me back."

"Well, you wouldn't know unless you ask her out, squirt."

"I can't! Mom will freak out!" Bran exclaimed, horrified at the idea of asking a girl out for the first time.

Arya raised a brow. "_Mom_ will freak out or _you_ will freak out?"

"Shut up."

Arya laughed, raising both hands in surrender. "Okay! Okay! How's Rickon, by the way?"

"Hang on," Bran said.

He disappeared from the screen for a while, coming back a short while later with a grinning Rickon beside him.

"Rickon!" Arya shouted playfully, bringing her face closer to the camera.

"You're weird," Rickon said, his face scrunched up in disgust.

"I know!" Arya shot back, earning a laugh from both her brothers.

"How's Nymeria, Grey Wind and Ghost?" asked Rickon.

"Good! They've taken a liking to the brothers."

Bran and Rickon snickered, nudging their elbows against each other, as if they were in on a secret.

"What the hell?" Arya said.

Bran shook his head. "Sorry! We just remembered something!"

She swears she heard Rickon whisper _Gendry Baratheon_ to Bran before snickering again. She chose to ignore that and went on. "I swear they're getting bigger everyday! I can't make Nymeria sit on my lap anymore, she's stubbornly growing!"

The sibling talked a bit more about the pets, their parents, Sansa's prospective boyfriend, and going back to school after summer vacation.

A while later, Tommen knocked on her door to ask if he could take Nymeria out to play. Arya grinned and signaled Tommen to come closer.

"Guys, this is Tommen," Arya said, putting an arm around Tommen's shoulders. "These idiots here are my younger brothers, Bran and Rickon!"

Bran looked embarrassed. "Uh, sorry about Arya. She has a mouth that needs to be scrubbed clean with a bar of soap. Hi, Tommen!"

Tommen gave a shy smile. "Hi Bran and Rickon."

Arya watched and listened from the side as the 3 younger ones started to be at ease with each other. After breaking the ice with stories about the wolves, Robb, Jon and Arya, they went on to talking about the latest video game releases. She was happy to know that her brothers found Tommen as funny and interesting as Arya found him to be. She let them talk, sprouting a comment or two when necessary, but just letting them get to know each other.

Twenty minutes later, her phone's message alert tone sounded. She took a look at the sender's name and her heart leapt to her throat.

_Gendry: Do you mind if I take the little wolf for a walk? She needs some physical activity._

She smiled before hitting a reply.

_Arya: Nymeria's in Jon's room. Just tell Jon you asked me if you could take Nymeria for a walk._

It took a few minutes before he sent a reply.

_Gendry: I wasn't talking about your pet._

Arya was confused for a moment before she realized he said _little wolf_.

_Oh. Be still my heart._

_Arya: Nice one, stupid._

Another minute before he texted back.

_Gendry: So? You up for that walk?_

Arya thought about some other physical activities she'd rather do with him, but of course she had to bite her thumb to keep her from texting that.

_Arya: I'll be down in 10 minutes._

Another text came in mere seconds later.

_Gendry: Make it 3. We need to talk. :)_

She said goodbye to her brothers and Tommen, with the promise of calling them again soon. The boys were having fun talking that they only waved to Arya and went back to comparing video game cheats and tricks. Arya was too happy to be offended.

_Little wolf._

_I wasn't talking about your pet._

_We need to talk. :)_

Good God. If Gendry Baratheon keeps saying insanely cute things to her, she'd die. And with the way things are going, it's going to be a long, slow and painful death.

* * *

"Favorite movie?" Gendry asked. "Okay, please don't tell me it's _The Notebook_."

Arya laughed. "I have lots of favorites! But don't worry, _The Notebook_ is not one of them!"

Gendry laughed.

_Holy hell. Such a beautiful sound._

They watched as Nymeria trotted before them, happily moving around in circles and taking advantage of the free space. They headed straight to _Red Keep Park_ right in the middle of the city. Summer in King's Landing is always the best. And for Arya, it was a welcome change from the cold weather she was used to back in Winterfell. She felt sad for leaving Winterfell, but if summer would always be this bright and sunny and beautiful, leaving winter would be well worth it.

Okay, maybe not for good. For she was still a Northerner through and through. Starks will always belong to Winterfell, but right now, there's no place she'd like to be other than King's Landing.

_Hmm. I wonder why_, she smiled at the thought.

They sat on the grass in a nice, shady spot below an Oak tree. They let Nymeria roam the premises since they need not worry about her getting lost. She always finds her way back to them. The wolf caught the attention of quite a few people; her beautiful gray and white fur was soft to the touch but at the same time, her size was a bit frightening.

Gendry pulled out a _Chuckit! Ultra Ball _ from his pocket and threw it for Nymeria to catch. She ran after it, catching it faster than any other dog Gendry's seen. But then again, Nymeria was not just any dog. He had to keep reminding himself that she's part wolf. He repeated the same thing quite a few times – throwing the ball further and further out – and Nymeria catching it every single time.

"Okay," Arya said after a stretch of silence. "Iced tea or lemonade?"

"Lemonade."

"Chocolate or vanilla ice cream?"

"Caramel."

Arya laughed. "That's not part of the choices!"

"Chocolate is overrated and vanilla is too plain."

Arya rolled her eyes. "Snob."

"My turn!" Gendry said, rubbing his palms together. "Pizza or pasta?"

"I hate you! Don't make me choose!" Arya groaned in protest.

"Which one do you like better?"

Arya's face scrunched up in deep thought. "Pasta?"

Gendry nodded. "Pink or peach?"

"Green."

"Ha!" Gendry exclaimed. "That's not part of the choices either!"

"Sansa loves pink," Arya wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Pink bed, pink curtains, pink walls…Pink! Pink! Pink! I'm puking pink glitters at the thought of more pink."

"You're the most ungirly girl I know," he chuckled.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Arya said with a grin.

Gendry laughed again.

_Oh god, stop._

Just then, a few acorns fell from the oak tree above them, making Arya jump up in surprise. Gendry laughed some more as he watched her throw the few acorns that were strewn around her.

"Well, shit," she said. "Should we move? I look like a stupid oak tree with all these acorns."

Gendry smiled gently. "Nice, though. A nice oak tree."

Arya rolled her eyes. "Seven hells, that's the most stupid thing I've ever heard."

"My turn," Gendry said softly. "A kiss on the cheek or on the forehead?"

_Gulp._

Arya blinked a few times. "Wha—what?"

Gendry moved closer, his head tilted towards hers. She could almost feel his breath on her cheek, and Arya swears she's close to fainting.

"Would you rather get kissed on the cheek or on the forehead?"

"Well…" Arya said, her breath now coming in short bursts. "I'm not your grandmother, so I don't think a kiss on the forehead would work."

"So cheek, then?" Gendry asked.

_Oh my fucking god! _He was moving even closer, his face turned towards her. Arya reminded herself to breathe, but found the task to be extremely difficult.

"Yes…" she whispered.

Gendry pulled her closer now, his hand on the back of her head and threading through her hair.

"You don't want a kiss on the forehead, but I don't want the cheek either," he said, his voice turning into a whisper.

_Jesus Christ on a bike. Help me._

"I'd rather kiss your mouth."

And Gendry Baratheon did just that. When his lips connected with hers, it was like a jolt of electricity that shot straight from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes. She felt tingly and lightheaded and terrified and ecstatic all at the same time, she would have fainted had Gendry not threaded his fingers through her hair.

His lips were soft and sweet and demanding, and when his tongue found hers, it worked its magic. Teasing and tempting and pulling her in that Arya couldn't help but yield to the sensations he was making her feel. When she opened her mouth wider, she heard Gendry groan and pull her in a bit more.

Arya pulled his tongue back in and sucked, earning another groan from Gendry. His other hand holding her hip tightened, almost grasping, and she swears she'd sport a bruise there later. But his kisses were making her dizzy with want and crazy with need that she didn't really care if she gets black and blue all over. What matters was Gendry and his kisses and how she wants this to last for days.

She felt a cold, wet thing nuzzle her leg and realized that Nymeria was giving her a small nudge with her nose. Arya gave Gendry one last deep kiss before slightly pulling away, noticing that he looked as disoriented as she was. She reached out to move the hair away from his eyes – eyes that turned dark and fully dilated – and flashed him a shy smile. Gendry's breathing started to slow, and Arya finally realized that she was actually sitting on his lap. She quickly got off him and avoided his eyes in embarrassment.

"I see we've captured an audience here," he said, his voice husky from arousal.

Arya timidly looked up and noticed a few people staring in their direction. Gendry took pity on her and helped pull her to her feet.

"Let's go," he said, threading his fingers with hers yet again. "I'd rather do this somewhere without an audience."


	12. Chapter 12

**(A/N: I'm thinking just a few more chapters to this story and then it's done. I don't know...we'll see how this goes. But okay, you can stop with the death threats on PM. I'm posting this as fast as I could. Haha. And since you've all made me happy about reading and reviewing, I'm posting the next chapter, like, RIGHT NOW.**

**Oh, and did I mention a little Gendrya smut? Enjoy!)**

* * *

It was the longest walk he's ever done.

He didn't know that he was almost dragging Arya in his hurry to get back home when he felt her give his hand a small tug. He stopped to look at her and found her smiling, her hair windswept and her cheeks flushed pink. He smiled in return and started walking again, this time slowing his pace so she could catch up. Nymeria trotted at the same pace and stayed close to them. When they finally reached the house, he did a quick scan for a sign of their brothers and grinned when no one was around.

He pulled her quickly up the stairs and led her towards his room. She suddenly halted, letting go of his hand and frantically looked down the hall.

"I left Tommen in my room earlier. He's on Skype with Bran and Rickon."

"Let them be," he answered, taking Arya's hand once again. "They don't have to know we're back."

"Nymeria's here, stupid," she raised her brow in question. "She can't just be back without us."

Gendry exhaled deeply, bordering in frustration and annoyance. "Fine. Wait here."

He quickly went down the stairs, going back up in a few with Nymeria on his heels. He turned to look at her and raised his hand in signal to ask her to wait and then continued to walk towards her room. Gendry knocked softly until Tommen opened the door.

Arya went inside Gendry's room before Tommen could see her. She looked around; black and white painted walls, black hardwood floors, a white bed with a blue bedspread and a matching blue area rug at the foot of the bed. There was a white round-shaped lamp with metallic legs. Charcoal sketches framed in white were hanging from one part of the wall, much like the framed sketches she knows are hanging from the living room walls. A blue bean bag stands on one side of the bed. A desk is on the other side of the room, along with his laptop, some books and a black swivel chair. _Very modern_, she thought. For a guy, the room was clean and organized. Arya was surprised and pleased. She smiled as she thought of how he's more neat than her when it comes to keeping a room.

"What are you smiling about?" Gendry asked as he walked inside the room, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. He was smiling that beautiful smile of his, and Arya felt her knees go weak once more.

"I left Nymeria with Tommen," he added a while later.

He continued to stare at her – _really_ stare at her.

"Come here," was all he said and Arya didn't waste any more time.

She crossed the room in three strides and now she's sitting astride his lap - for the second time that day – and they were kissing once again.

After a few soft, sweet kisses, Arya felt one of Gendry's hands move from the side of her face to the back of her neck, a signal that he wanted to get deeper into the kiss. His other hand moved from her hip to her back, gently pushing her towards him until there was no more space left between their chests. She felt him pull back a bit, much to her disappointment, but gasped aloud when she felt him kiss the corner of her mouth until his lips made its way along her jawline. She leaned her head back, savoring the feel of his lips on the sensitive skin of her neck and biting her lip to stop from giggling as his breath tickled her.

Her head was already spinning by the time he got to nibbling on her earlobe. And when he started sucking on it lightly, she couldn't help giggling. She felt him chuckle but didn't let up on his playful assault. Arya's hands entwined themselves around his neck, her hands grasping his soft but thick black hair.

He was making her dizzy but she loved it.

She didn't know how long they've been at it, but then again she never noticed anything else when he was kissing her. Like that night in the Jacuzzi, she is fast losing herself to the feeling of his kisses on her lips and skin and she's excited and delirious and scared and so fucking aroused she feels like she's going to burst from it all.

At times, Gendry would pull back from the kiss and just embrace her; pressing his nose to the side of her neck as if he was breathing in her scent. She laughed when he said she smelled like vanilla and strawberries.

"I thought you said vanilla was too plain," she said huskily.

"Not anymore," he replied, his voice raspy even to his own ears.

His lips went back to her neck, until his soft kisses and nips turned into soft, light bites. Arya clutched his head even closer, her breath coming out in gasps as he licked and kissed the spots he bit. She thought she heard Gendry gasp too, and again, she wasn't too sure because thinking wasn't exactly part of what they were doing right now.

Her eyes widened when she felt his hand trail from her back to the underside of her breast. Gendry stopped for a moment and looked at her, as if pleading with her eyes but still asking permission to go on. Arya could only nod before she pulled his head back towards her. Gendry let out a growl, and Arya was again reminded of how much he sounded like her pet.

She shivered when his hand moved slowly, removing her shirt and gently unhooking her bra until he came in direct contact with the underside of her breast. His thumb caressed the soft skin, making Arya squirm on his lap. Another growl - although this time she thinks it was from her – and she pressed herself closer to _that _part of him.

_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! _The voice in Gendry's head chanted the words as he felt Arya press herself closer to him still. He was sure she could feel his erection but instead of feeling embarrassed, he reveled in the feeling of her softness against his hardness. The thinking part of his brain said they should keep their shorts on. He wasn't planning on doing anything beyond kissing and making out, but everything felt so good and now he's so fucking aroused and close to the point of actually asking _it_ from her. Still, the thought didn't stop him from pulling both their shirts off.

_Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! s_ays the voice in his head again; the one that reminds him to use his head and not just his heart and his senses. But it was like his hands and lips were moving out of their own accord; pulling and grasping and clutching Arya's hips and back and hair and at that moment, he feels lost.

And then Arya started grinding her hips to his and he's gone. He lies back on the bed, pulling Arya with him, their lips still connected. He pulls her thighs closer until that part of her was directly on top of his erection. He heard Arya's breath come out in short bursts, her hips still grinding onto his until the slow movements turned frantic.

"Oh god, Arya…" he groaned, leaning his head back, his hips moving along with hers. Dry-humping was not exactly what he had in mind but they were too far gone to be thinking about going back. The only thing he could think of was that she feels so good like this and realized his little wolf is going to fucking make him come this first time.

And seven hells, _he's going to come_. _Hard._

He squeezed his eyes shut, pulling her body to his and locked his arms around her small form. He was now thrusting his hips faster and harder between her thighs and felt her whimper; his name coming out in gasps as she held tighter into his embrace.

The pressure kept building and building and building until he felt his entire being burst into a billion tiny fragments that left him weak and sated and impossibly wanting for more. He heard Arya softly cry out soon after, and he squeezed her tighter as she rode out her first feeling of fulfillment.

They remained like that for a while, letting the fast beating of hearts slow down and their breaths return to normal. Gendry ran his hands up and down her back in soothing motions until Arya finally (and to Gendry's disappointment) shifted to his side and buried her face to the side of his neck.

"Holy. Shit."

Gendry chuckled at her description of what just happened. It was definitely a _holy shit_ moment, although Gendry would have used _Sweet Jesus that was out of this world amazing_.

"You okay?" he asked, turning her face up and leaning down to give her a soft kiss.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked with an incredulous expression on her face. "I just died right there."

They both laughed.

"I'm sorry," he said a while later, his tone softening. "If you think all this is too fast."

Arya partly raised herself from the bed, leaning on one elbow. "Yeah, fast. But we both know this is where it's going anyway. Unless…"

Gendry raised his brows in question.

Arya continued. "Unless you're having regrets now…after…uhm…so…"

He pulled her back down and gave a little squeeze. "Shut up."

"Wow. One orgasm and you're already bossing me around."

"Wow. One orgasm and you're still snarky as shit."

Arya laughed before sitting up. "Um, I should leave before anyone finds me here."

Gendry watched as she grabbed her shirt and bra on the floor and put it on. She was trying to avoid his gaze, realizing that she's now suddenly feeling shy and a little embarrassed. He too grabbed his discarded shirt from the floor and put it on. Arya was about to leave when he gently grabbed her elbow pulled her back to his side.

"Hey," he said softly. "Don't feel embarrassed. No regrets, remember? And if you're worried about your brothers finding out about us, we don't have to tell anyone yet. Not until you're ready."

She gave a small nod. He kissed her one last time before finally letting her go.

"See you at dinner?" he asked, a grin bursting from his face.

She gave an equally bright grin and replied, "See you at dinner."

* * *

"So you're telling me Ramsay's finally gone over to the dark side?"

Robb laughed at Hot Pie's question. They were hanging out at _Doughnuts of Dorne_ that afternoon - Robb, Jon, Joffrey and Hot Pie - when the Stark brothers finally decided to tell the other two.

"I mean, it's not so surprising considering Ramsay's a spoiled brat who practically does whatever he wants, but getting using and dealing is a whole different level, don't you think?" Hot Pie added, a shocked expression on his face.

"Problem is, our cousin's hanging around that spoiled brat and I don't want Theon to get into trouble." Jon said, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration.

"I wasn't the least bit surprised too. When Gen told me about it, my first thought was also Theon and how he doesn't deserve to be in the middle of Ramsay and his fucked up ways," said Joffrey with a shake of his head. "Alright, so what do we do?"

"We have to tell Theon and hopefully he listens to us," Jon said. "He already thinks Ramsay and his friends are a fun bunch, but I'm scared to think about how much fun they'll be once Theon gets in too deep with this."

"Dude, just tell him straight out," said Hot Pie.

Just then, Robb's phone rings. He held out his phone and showed everyone the name on the screen. "Great timing. Yo, dickwad," Robb said as he picked up the call, and tried his best to keep his tone as normal as possible. "What's up?"

The rest of them listened to a one-sided conversation until Robb ended the call. "He's ten minutes away and he's coming over."

"Aw, shit," Joffrey exclaimed.

Hot Pie stood and said, "Well, if we're going to wait for the longest ten minutes of our life, we might as well have coffee and cake."

"Is this going to be, like, our last meal?" Joffrey said in jest.

"Actually," Robb answered with a laugh. "Hot Pie just wants us to lose the abs to flabs."

"Every time I walk out of here, I already feel ten pounds heavier than when I walked in. Just looking at these sweets is almost the same as actually eating them," Jon added glumly.

Hot Pie held up his middle finger and everyone laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Tell me that again when I stop giving you all free food and coffee."

Ten minutes later (and after Jon's second slice of cake), Theon walked in with a noticeable bounce to his step. He high-fived everyone in the booth before taking a seat beside Joffrey.

"What's happening, douchebaggins?" Theon asked, stealing a cookie from Robb's plate.

"Dude, serious talk's about to happen." Joffrey answered.

"Ooooh! Is this about Gendry and Arya?" Theon asked, a devilish grin suddenly appearing on his face.

"What?" Robb asked, his tone with a hint of surprise.

"Uh oh." Theon said, equally surprised as Robb.

"Yes, uh oh. What's with Gendry and my sister?" Robb asked again, his jaw clenching.

Hot Pie waved his hands in the air. "Okay, back to the _topic_ to be discussed, guys!"

Joffrey nodded. "There's some serious shit going in with Ramsay that we think you should know."

"Ramsay?" Theon asked, his brows furrowing. "What's with Ramsay?"

"What's with Gendry and Arya?" Jon asked gruffly.

"Let's just say you didn't hear anything from me, okay," Theon said with a grimace. "Can you just explain what's this about Ramsay?"

Robb exhaled in frustration. "Do you have any idea what Ramsay does during his, ah, free time?"

Theon shrugged. "The guy works part-time for his dad's real estate business, I don't really know."

Joffrey scoffed. "Dude, you think Ramsay's into real estate? That's so full of shit."

Theon ran his hand through his unruly hair in frustration. "So, tell me! Enough with the guessing games already."

"Ramsay's using and dealing."

Theon stared at Robb in disbelief. "No, seriously."

"No, seriously, man," Robb snapped back. "Ramsay Bolton is using and dealing drugs and if you don't believe us right this very minute, you're going to be stuck in the middle of his circle of friends and no one's going to be able to bail you out."

"You're all full of shit," Theon said angrily. "Ramsay may be immature and bratty at times but to accuse him of using and dealing is going overboard."

"I saw them. And his friends weren't exactly discreet about asking Gendry to jump in with them," Robb said, as angry as Theon now.

"Lie! Maybe if you know what Gendry's doing with your sister, you wouldn't believe him too easily!" Theon said as he got out of the booth.

They were all stunned by Theon's words. The Stark brothers were struck speechless, intrigued by the sudden turn of events.

"Ask the prick what he and Arya were doing in the park earlier. If his answer doesn't involve the words _public display of affection_, then you're friends with an asshole too."

Theon left without looking back, his words hanging in the air.

"Well," Hot Pie said morosely. "That went well."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thank you again for the reviews and for still reading this. You guys might find this one a bit slow-paced, but I can't keep letting them get smutty (LIE) now that they're together. Haha. **

**Hope you still enjoy this one **

* * *

Gendry stared at the message Joffrey sent him.

_Joffrey: What were you doing with Arya in Red Keep Park?_

He suddenly felt nervous. Was it possible that Joffrey, or worse, someone else saw them at the park earlier? And if Joffrey knows something, then he figured there's no use denying the fact that he was at Red Keep earlier, doing _things_ with Arya that they shouldn't have done in public.

_He_ shouldn't have done in public.

He didn't really want to put Arya in an awkward situation, especially since she's living in the same house as he is and school's starting soon.

_Shit! _Gendry thought to himself as he typed a response and then hit the _send_ button.

_Gendry: Who saw us?_

It didn't take Joffrey long to send back his response.

_Joffrey:_ _Theon_

_Shiiiiit!_ Gendry muttered under his breath, diving on his bed facedown. But then again, getting caught by her cousin might be better than getting caught by her brothers. He rolled over on his back and held his phone up to type a reply.

_Gendry: How bad is it?_

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as if that would stop the big, fat headache he knew was coming.

_Joffrey: Hang on to your balls real tight. Robb and Jon are pretty pissed._

Okay, not good.

* * *

He thought about skipping dinner tonight but he couldn't just abandon Arya at the dinner table to face her brothers alone. He dreaded seeing the Stark brothers, especially if it would end up in a confrontation about their little sister, but he might as well get it over with lest he gets his balls cut off while he's sound asleep.

He went down for dinner but only Joffrey and Tommen were there. Unfortunately for him, the Stark brothers walked in five minutes later. Arya and Theon were nowhere to be found, and Gendry found that he was disappointed at her absence.

As expected, it was a strained event. Not a sound was heard except for the clanging of utensils against the plates and the occasional _please pass the gravy_. Other than those, dinner was excruciatingly quiet.

"Can we talk to you?" Jon asked afterwards, a grim expression on his face.

Gendry nodded glumly and went after the brothers as they walked out to the back lawn. He shivered as they stepped outside, whether it was from the slight evening chill or from fear of what lies ahead. He put both hands in his pockets, hunching his shoulders a bit to ward off the slight chill. The brothers stopped walking as they reached the middle of the lawn; Jon gazing out with a far-away look on his face, and Robb openly studying Gendry as the latter stood there with a nervous air surrounding him.

"What's going on, Gendry?" Robb asked, his voice soft but his tone was sharp.

_It's now or never_.

"Arya…we're…we're sort of…seeing each other," he said with a nervous hint to his voice.

Jon frowned. "_Sort of_? Bro, it's only _yes, we're seeing each other_ or _no, we aren't_. But _sort of _was not the answer I wanted to hear."

"Okay, sorry," Gendry said, slightly raising both hands in surrender. "We _are_ seeing each other. It's just…um…recent."

He did the only thing he knew was best and faced the brothers, looking them both in the eyes with an unwavering determination to finally get it out in the open. Arya is a special girl, and being that, Gendry deemed it only right to let her brothers know. Besides, if he's bravely faced _the_ Ned Stark, he surely can face Robb and Jon Stark.

"I like your sister," he explained further. "I really like Arya. You guys know I have since we were young."

The Starks kept silent, making Gendry a little more brave and determined to finish his little speech. "Arya's amazing, I'm sure you both know that. She's smart and funny and loving and she can be child-like without being childish. She can make me laugh and she can make me feel stupid, and by gods, your sister can make me so mad sometimes I feel like crying because of it."

Jon and Robb looked at each other and laughed. "Typical Arya," said Jon.

Gendry gave a small smile. "I want to be with her and thank god she feels the same way. I know she's here only for a short while, but we'll figure something out, I swear we will. But for now, that's all I want. I want to be with your sister. I want to be with Arya and everything that goes with her - happy and sad, good and bad, naughty and nice Arya."

Robb raised his brows. "_Naughty_?"

_Well, shit_. "Naughty and nice, you know what I mean."

"Actually," Jon said, folding his arms across his chest in a menacing way. "We don't know what you mean."

Gendry stared at Jon's bulging biceps and he felt the need to swallow, his throat suddenly felt parched.

"And if that means some activity that requires my _little sister_ to lose her pants (Gendry noticed the stress on _little sister_), I hope you know that I have a mean left hook," Jon finished with a threat.

"Copy that," was all Gendry could say. But of course, he's not going to mention that just hours ago, he was involved in some activity that required his little sister to be shirtless. Technically, that's not breaking Jon and Robb's rule, right about being naked from the waist down, right?

"I know you're a good guy, Gen," said Robb, his tone a bit softer now. "But she's still our sister. If you, in any way, hurt her, consider this a threat."

"I hear ya."

"No taking advantage of her…ah…innocence," Jon said, seemingly embarrassed.

_Not that innocent _anymore. Gendry had to bite his tongue again to stop himself from saying his thoughts out loud. "Got that."

"No second or third base, and no home run either," Robb added sharply. "We don't want you waking up to find out your balls have been cut off by either me or Jon."

_Um, okaaay?_

"Realistically speaking, if you _do_ get to experience first base, make sure we're not around or you'll be dinner to the wolves," Jon added.

_Holy hells._

"And if you do anything that's-" Jon began again, but this time Gendry cut him off.

"Guys! I get it, okay? I'm not going to hurt your sister. Not intentionally."

The brothers nodded in agreement. "I'm glad we had this talk, Gendry," said Robb, and Gendry was reminded of the time Ned Stark threatened to sic all the Stark wolves on him. He said the same words that Robb just said, and Gendry was in no position to argue.

_For Arya_.

* * *

Gendry decided to let Arya be for tonight, now that her brothers know about them. He realized how tired he was only when he finally lay back on the bed. He ran his hands over his face in exhaustion, his mind going through the events of that day.

He was half-asleep already when his phone signaled an incoming text. It was Joffrey again, asking about how things went with the brothers.

_Joffrey: How'd it go?_

_Gendry: You mean aside from the big brother threats? Surprisingly well._

_Joffrey: Lol. So you're free to see Arya now?_

_Gendry: Bro, have I told you about the part where they threatened to make me wolf dinner?_

_Joffrey: Fuck! It's sad I had to miss that chat you guys had._

_Gendry: Fuck off. My hands were shaking so bad I had to keep them in my pockets!_

_Joffrey: I bet your pits were sweating so much._

_Gendry: Like a river. Goodnight, prat._

_Joffrey: Haha! Night, bitch._

With a chuckle, Gendry tossed his phone on his bedside table and closed his eyes.

* * *

"And we went to see a movie after dinner. I swear, Ar, he's just soooo sweet!"

Arya resisted the urge to roll her eyes because it was typical of Sansa to exaggerate. She rarely gets to Skype with her sister, usually it was her parents, Bran and Rickon, but tonight was the first time in a long time that they got to see each other. She didn't really feel like being sarcastic because today, Arya Stark is a happy camper.

"I'm _soooo_ happy for you, San," she said, a genuine smile spreading on her face. "Have you told Mom and Dad that you're dating someone?"

Sansa sighed. "Not yet. You know how they get when the word _dating_ or worse, _boyfriend, _comes up."

_I wonder how they'll react to the word 'sex'._

"So," Sansa continued in a teasing tone. "What's his name?" She wiggled her eyebrows for full effect.

"Hmm? I don't know what you're talking about," Arya mumbled, her mouth slightly turned up at the corners to indicate a smile.

Sansa squealed in delight. "Arya! What's his name? Or do I have to make a guess?"

Arya laughed. "Give it your best shot."

"Gendry Baratheon? Is it Gendry? Tell me, Arya!" Sansa exclaimed, not even trying to cover up her excitement at the prospect of her sister finally seeing someone.

"Don't pee in your pretty pink pajamas, Sansa."

"Oh. My. God. Arya! It _is _ Gendry!"

Arya didn't resist the urge to roll her eyes this time. "Yes, Sansa. And stop squealing."

Her sister was clapping her hands daintily, if you could call it that, and it reminded Arya of princesses and ladies in court because everything about Sansa is girly and dainty.

"I'm half surprised that he likes you," Sansa teased.

"Am I _that _surprising to like? What's the other half?" Arya asked incredulously.

"The other half knows that Gendry's been sporting a major crush on you since we were young."

Arya sighed. "I don't know, San. At first, it was just sneaking glances, not-so-accidental touches, spending a bit of time together when we can…and then next thing I knew we're already kissing."

Sansa squealed again. "You've already kissed!"

"Quiet!"

"Does Jon and Robb know?"

"Uh, yeah. They talked to Gendry about it tonight. God knows what sort of threats those two gave him. Althought I haven't talked to those two yet."

"Chicken." Sansa teased.

"Shut up!" Arya laughed. "Alright, I'll catch you later, San. I'm a bit sleepy."

"No, you're not. You're just going to sneak into Gendry's room and make out some more."

"Ssssh!"

"Be _safe_, little sister!"

"Oh my god, shut up already!"

"Night, Ar!"

"Night, San!"

* * *

Arya was awakened by the sound of her phone's message alert tone. With one eye open, she checked the sender's name and came fully awake when she saw it was Gendry.

_Gendry: Can't sleep._

_Arya: So you woke me instead? It's 1:15!_

_Gendry: We should be in this together._

_Arya: I was actually asleep, you know._

_Gendry: At least now you're awake._

_Arya: Whatever. I'm going back to sleep._

_Gendry: But you like me, annoying and all._

Arya decided to make him suffer a bit for waking her up so she stopped texting for a while.

_Gendry: Arya?_

_Gendry: Arya Stark_

_Gendry: Hey_

_Gendry: Don't go falling asleep on me_

_Gendry: ='(_

Arya had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. The teary face did it for her.

_Arya: SO ANNOYING._

_Gendry: Don't fucking do that to me ever again!_

_Arya: Try sleeping, Gendry. It's not rocket science._

_Gendry: I feel like having a midnight snack. Wanna sneak to the kitchen for cake?_

_Arya: Good night, Gendry._

_Gendry: I'm hungry_

_Arya: You're not. Good night!_

_Gendry: SO ANNOYING._

She let five minutes pass before sending another message.

_Arya: Yes, I like you, annoying and all._

Another five minutes.

_Gendry: My bedroom door is actually unlocked._

_Arya: You're not getting any more tonight so you might as well lock your door._

_Gendry: ='(_


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thank you again for all the reviews, favorites, follows for this story. This is probably a slow one and not my best work. But still, I hope you all enjoy this. :)**

* * *

"Have you thought about what course you're taking up at University?" Ned asked his youngest daughter during their latest video chat.

Arya shrugged non-committally. "You know how bad I am at science subjects, Dad. And numbers, especially! You know how I have a love-hate relationship with math."

Ned chuckled. "I do know that, love. Which is why I want you to take up something of interest, so you know for sure that you would start and finish that course without having to shift every so often. It's going to be your life at stake. Not mine, not Mom's, and definitely not your siblings. Whatever it is, you know that Dad is behind you a hundred percent."

Arya's face lit up at her father's words of encouragement. Talking to her father was totally different from having conversations with her mother. Catelyn was usually firm and a wee bit pushy, despite still being loving and caring as is usual for mothers. Her father, on the other hand, is usually quiet and reserved but he carries an air of authority that makes people stop and listen. Although Arya loves her mother dearly, it is her father who is able to control her with a firm hand but without making her feel caged and strangled. Besides, it is her father who allows her to take up fencing, archery, football and allows her to go rock climbing with her brothers. Her mother drags her to cooking and baking lessons with Sansa, and once, she was forced to go ballroom dancing just for the fun of it. _Fun?_

"I know, Dad," she answered. "And thank you for letting me decide on my own. I know I'm behind the schedule for admissions, but I won't disappoint you on this. The guys are helping me with the admission schedules, too."

Ned frowned at the mention of _guys._

"Is there anything you want to tell me, love?" Ned asked, his frown still in place. "_Anything _you'd like to tell just Dad?"

Arya bit her lower lip; something that she does out of habit. "Dad, I…I'm…"

"Is this about Gendry?" he asked without a moment's hesitation.

Arya was taken aback but at the same time grateful that this was her chance to talk to her father about it. "Are you disappointed in me, Dad?"

"Why would I be? Unless you're pregnant, which I pray that you are not, then what's there to be disappointed for?" Ned explained with a calm tone.

Arya shrugged again. "I don't know. Just that I came here to be with my brothers and to study, but now I've added _finding a boyfriend_ in the list. And I'm not pregnant, Dad, unless it's an immaculate conception."

Ned and Arya laughed at the same time. He stared at his daughter's face on the screen and noticed that there seems to be a positive glow about her. Gendry must be partly to blame for his daughter's happiness.

"I have to go, Dad," Arya said softly but with a sadness laced underneath it. "I promised Cersei to go shopping with her. She has a wedding to go to this weekend," Arya groaned, much to Ned's amusement.

"I see that not only Gendry has changed my little wolf love," he said, still chuckling. "I've never known you to like shopping, especially with Sansa."

Arya rolled her eyes. "Sansa takes too long to shop because she makes sure to try on _all_ the clothes in _all _the stores, which she'll end up not buying anyway. At least Cersei knows what she wants before she gets there. Problem is, she takes long too because she'd buy the whole store if no one's there to stop her. So yeah, that task was assigned to me."

Ned guffawed, making Arya grin from ear to ear. "Well," Ned said a while later. "That's Cersei for you!"

"Love you, Dad," Arya said when the laughter stopped. "Thank you…for understanding…you know…with Gendry?"

"I actually had a nice little chat with him before I left King's Landing," Ned said with a knowing smile. "Nice chat it was."

Arya's eyes widened in surprise. "Dad! Why didn't you or Gendry tell me! Please tell me now if you've embarrassed me or something!"

"Actually, I think it was Gendry who ended up feeling embarrassed."

"Dad!"

Ned laughed again. With a kiss to his fingertips, he pressed them to the screen, as if there was no hindrance to sending kisses to his daughter from miles away. "Love you. I'll call you again soon."

Arya closed her laptop disappointedly. _Really, Dad? _She would have preferred to end their conversation on a happy note, but now she's disappointed and bothered and curious that she might have to ask Gendry about it later. With that thought, she got up from the bed half-heartedly and went out to look for Cersei.

* * *

Jon opened the door to let Ramsay and his friends Ilyn, Sandor, Raff and Polli in. The guys gave him fist bumps and high-fives before he led them to the living room, where they casually took over the couch.

"Theon's in the shower but he said he'll be down in a few," Jon said, trying to keep a calm demeanor. _Keeping a fucking secret from someone who owns the secret is so fucking hard!_ "Do you guys want anything?"

"You got beer?" joked Raff, although Jon thinks it wasn't really a joke.

"Are you serious, bro? It's broad daylight." Jon replied with an incredulous tone.

"Of course he's kidding!" Ramsay answered quickly. He walked towards the back of the couch to where Raff and Polli were sitting and smacked the back of Raff's head. "Mind your manners, my friends!"

Jon watched as Ramsay tried to hide a snicker while his friends were not so successful in doing so. To avoid being in their company for a while longer, he asked them to just wait till Theon comes down. "Where are you guys off to anyway?"

"If I tell you, you're going to have to come with us," Ramsay answered, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked menacing enough, almost daring Jon to say something that he would probably find disapproving. "You have a problem with that, Stark?"

_Oh, this guy's asking for it_, Jon thought.

"If I do, do _you_ have a problem with that?" Jon answered with an equally menacing stare.

"What's up, Bolton! You guys off to more misadventures? Theon's on his way down," Robb said as he walked into the room. He stopped beside Jon, discreetly holding his brother's elbow to keep him from saying anything more. Jon threw him a sideways glare, to which Robb replied in a whisper, "Keep your cool, bro. Just pretend you know nothing."

Ramsay nodded to Robb in acknowledgement before signaling to his friends to wait with him by the pool area. He turned back to look at Jon, pointing his index and middle fingers from his eyes to him and back again, like a signal to say _I'm watching you, Stark_.

When the guys were out of sight, Robb patted his brother on the shoulder. "Careful, Jon. Ramsay's going to be hard to deal with. Best option is to not get in his bad side _and_ to get Theon to realize that this bunch is not the good kind."

Jon still looked annoyed so Robb patted his back again, if only to calm him for a little. "Patience, bro. And remember…_you know nothing_."

* * *

"Jon Stark is getting on my nerves, bro! I'd like to punch that stupid scowl off his pretty boy face!" Polli said, his fists clenching and unclenching.

"You think he knows something?" Raff asked.

Ramsay was silent for a while. "Whatever. Just be careful around him – around them all. Those Stark brothers are not as gullible as their cousin. Watch out for them."

His friends went on to talk about the incoming school year and started planning on their start-of-year party and several mixers too. Ramsay paid them no mind. He was busy watching the pretty little thing that just walked inside the Baratheon's kitchen.

He watched her; watched her move across the kitchen with an air of confidence and a certain grace that has Ramsay ogling her with curious eyes. He stood near the glass window, in full view of the kitchen. He watched as she grabbed an apple from the fruit basket, pulling out a small paring knife from the rack along the way. She turned on the TV, surfing channels for a bit before leaving it on the sports channel where a surfing competition was being featured. She leaned one hip on the island, her elbow resting on the counter top. She was staring intently at the TV and was oblivious to the fact that someone was watching her as intently as she watched the television screen. He turned to look at the guys and saw that they were still joking around about how they'd get wasted and how they'd get laid during the start-of-school party, and so Ramsay took that opportunity to watch the girl for a while longer.

He turned back to watch the girl on the other side of the glass. She was slicing the apple as she ate it. He wondered if it was a habit of hers - slicing and eating the fruit instead of just biting on it. She looks comfortable with a knife in her hand. _Maybe she fences or some sort of sword-fighting sport?_, he thought. _Or maybe she's just good with knives because she knows how to cook? _Whatever the reason, Ramsay finds himself attracted to this little slip of a girl.

"Oi! What are you doing?" Sandor asked when he noticed his friend staring at something from inside the house.

Or someone.

He followed Ramsay's line of sight and saw that he was watching a pretty girl who seemed busy staring at the sports channel. There was no other girl in the Baratheon family aside from Cersei, so Sandor's guessing that this must be the Starks' younger sister. _Ariel? Arry? Anya? _Sandor doesn't remember the name Theon mentioned a few times before, but regardless, Ramsay looks interested enough to stare.

"Nothing, Hound," Ramsay said. Sandor hates that nickname but he keeps silent every single time they call him that. Ramsay put a hand up to signal them to wait, then took the back door and walked into the kitchen. Sandor shook his head and went back to Raff and Polli, who seemed unaware of Ramsay's latest target.

* * *

Arya watched the competition intently as she waited for Cersei to get ready. The apple she'd been eating was almost gone when Ramsay Bolton walked into the kitchen with a seriously arrogant swagger. Gendry had been telling her about the guy's recent activities and how they have been trying to tell her cousin about it. She doesn't know Ramsay personally, but she's already both wary and angry at him because Theon is a good guy and deserves better than getting dragged into a drug-related case waiting to happen.

"Hi," he said, giving Arya the impression of a prey and predator situation on the Discovery Channel.

"Um…hi," Arya responded with a with a nod of her head.

Ramsay proceeded to walk closer to her, a smirk plastered on his face, until he was standing just a few feet from where she was. Arya suddenly felt trapped. There was a certain demanding intensity to him that she couldn't put a finger into, but it was as if he was silently demanding something from her, or maybe it was just his imposing character that slightly scared Arya.

"I don't think we've met before? I'm Ramsay, by the way," jutting his hand out.

"Arya."

Ramsay face brightened with recognition. "Arya Stark?"

Arya nodded in the affirmative.

"Why haven't I seen you around before? If someone as pretty as you would be walking around within three feet from me, I _would _notice you straight away," he added with a laugh.

Arya resisted the temptation to slap him across his arrogant face and straightened up instead. "I, uh, have to go find Cersei. It was nice meeting you," she said as she quickly slipped out of the kitchen, not even waiting for his reply.

Ramsay watched as she rushed out of the room, hurrying off to find Cersei. He grinned his famous Bolton grin - the one he usually reserved for ladies he deems interesting and worthy enough for the likes of him.

"Later, Arya Stark."

* * *

"You're so annoying! This movie is going to suck!" Arya said to Gendry as they rushed inside the cinema. "I wanted to watch that fucking zombie movie and you have to go and us tickets to a stupid romantic comedy! I'm _so annoyed_ at you right now!"

Gendry only laughed as he followed her down the aisle and onto the fourth row from the front. He knew she was not _that_ annoyed, just disappointed that she will be sitting through two hours of what she thinks will be a sappy movie. He has heard mostly positive review for this; besides, his main goal was to get Arya to hold his hand and laugh with him, and not to scream and cuss at the walking dead.

"I swear, if this movie ends up like something Sansa would typically watch, you're not going to get so much as a kiss from me!"

_Okay, STOP. Do we still have time to switch cinemas?_

"You're going to love this, I promise," Gendry replied with a smirk.

Thirty minutes later. Arya was laughing her head off and nudging Gendry's side as they watched scene after scene of comedy delight between the movie's main characters. Gendry kept snatching glances at Arya as she looked up at the screen with a gleeful expression on her face. He couldn't resist leaning over to whisper in her ear, "Still think this movie is stupid?"

Arya turned to him in the darkened cinema, although Gendry could still see the grin spread from ear to ear, and he couldn't help but laugh with her. She did the most natural thing she thought to do - she grabbed him by the back of his neck and pulled him closer for a kiss.

And what a kiss it was.

Gendry thought it was just one of those innocent, sweet kisses they sometimes shared whenever her brothers and his brothers were lurking in every corner of the house. But he felt her bubblegum tongue - _thank you, John Mayer_ - slip between his lips and into his mouth. And she knows that he gets out of control when she kisses him like this, because even through it all, he could feel the smile on her lips before she tilted her head the other way and went back to kissing him.

He must have groaned out loud because the couple in the next row started clearing their throats and fake-coughing to get their attention. Arya and Gendry jumped in their seats in surprise (and horror) and went back to staring at the big screen. He noticed Arya steal sideway glances to which he responded with the same, and he grabbed her hand and entwined them with his.

It was probably the longest two and a half hours of his life because he managed to sit through the remainder of the movie without getting to kiss Arya again. Slightly annoyed, slightly distracted, slightly happy, slightly horny Gendry; he couldn't wait until they got back into his car so he could kiss her like she should be kissed.

.

It seems like Arya had the same thing in mind too, because as soon as they stepped out of the cinema, they were practically running and stumbling and dragging each other towards the parking lot. Gendry feels like they weren't going as fast as they wanted to, until they literally ran into someone and spilled her shopping bags across the lot.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" cried the girl as the contents flew out of her shopping bags. Gendry and Arya quickly got to their knees and started picking up everything they could reach and shoving them back inside the bags. Arya looked up to find Gendry looking at her too, and she noticed how his smile turned into a grimace. She must look as embarrassed as him because she felt as if steam was coming out her ears in utter humiliation.

"I'm sorry, miss…_fuck me…_" Gendry choked out as he stared at the girl they ran into. "Jeyne!"

Arya's head whipped as fast as she could say _Shit!_

_Seven hells! This is Jeyne?!_

Arya stared at the beautiful girl in front of her. Long blonde hair, startling blue eyes, perfect body, legs that stretch out from here to eternity. She sneaked a glance at Gendry, who looked as absolutely stunned as she is.

"Oh! Gen!" Jeyne said with a big smile - _too fucking big_, thought Arya - and noticed that her irritated manner suddenly changed into delighted.

When Jeyne's eyes lander on her, Arya felt her face heat up. Here she was, standing in front of someone who was _probably_ part of her boyfriend's past, while she only had on the rattiest and most comfortable jeans and sweater ensemble she's ever had to wear just because she was _too lazy to dress nicely_. Jeyne was dressed in her cute denim shorts and a pretty white knitted top, and her pretty (and probably expensive) sandals and Arya immediately hated how put-together she looked because everything screamed _Sansa_.

Or was it because everything about her screamed _I am Gendry's ex-girlfriend_?

"Uh, sorry about that! I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going," Gendry said sheepishly, and Arya resisted the urge to roll her eyes and pretend to throw up.

"No! I wasn't watching where I was going too," she replied with a smile. _Even her teeth are so fucking white, what the hell?_

"Are you here on your own?" Gendry asked, without even looking at Arya.

_Okay, I'm seriously pissed right now._

Jeyne nodded. "Yeah, had to do a bit of shopping today." Her eyes went from Gendry to Arya and back again, but unfortunately, Gendry didn't really get what she was silently asking.

She finally decided to take matters into her hands. She held out her right hand for a handshake and said, "Hi! I'm Jeyne!"

"Arya."

Jeyne looked at Gendry with a raised brow. "Girflriend?"

Gendry looked panicked and replied with what he guessed later on was the wrong answer. "Ahhh…Jeyne, meet my _friend_, Arya Stark."

_Friend? I'm his mothereffing friend?!_

"Oh! Stark? Are you Robb and Jon's little sister?"

Arya only nodded. She couldn't trust herself to talk just yet.

"Nice to meet you," she said, before turning back to Gendry. "So, I have this party on Saturday. I'd like you guys to be there, it'll be fun! I'll call Robb and Jon, could you please tell Joffrey for me?"

Gendry only nodded, which made Arya even more annoyed than she was earlier. _So I'm just a friend and not even worthy to be invited to a party hosted by his ex-girlfriend? Are you fucking kidding me?_

As if reading her thoughts, Jeyne turned to her and said, "You could come too, Arya. If you like."

_And leave you and Gendry alone when I don't go? No fucking way!_

"Can't wait till Saturday!" Arya replied with mock excitement.

"Great! I'll see you both by then!" she said one last time before heading to the opposite end of the lot. Arya finally looked over at Gendry and saw his pained reaction.

"Friend? Are you kidding me, Gendry?"

"I panicked, okay! I didn't mean it to be like that, I swear, Arya!"

"I didn't know we were _just friends_, Gen. Because the last I checked, friends don't just make friends come so hard their eyeballs practically rolled out of their sockets!"

Gendry did roll his eyes now, but not in the same way Arya just said. "I sort of panicked, okay! I was going to introduce you, but she just sort of went on about the party! Hey! Where are you going?"

Arya didn't even turn to look when she shouted back her response, "I'm going to take the bus home because _friends_ don't need to drive their _friends_ home!"

"Are you shitting me? Arya!"

But Arya was already in the bus before Gendry could catch up to her.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I love you, guys. I didn't think anyone would read this at first, but I'm exhilarated that I've reached this much number of favorites, follows and review. And for that, I give you, a little smut. Lol. Thank you again!**

* * *

Joffrey fidgeted in the driver's seat as he waited for Tommen to come out of _Jaqn's House of Music_. Gendry was not home and was not responding to Cersei's calls, so Joffrey told his mom that he'd pick up Tommen after his guitar lessons. He knew something was up with his older brother when Arya stormed in the front door and ran up the stairs and into her room. The door slamming was pretty much a give-away of her mood and so he assumed his brother contributed to it. When he texted Gendry to ask what was up, he only texted back with a _"leave me alone" _and so Joffrey did just that.

But Joffrey Baratheon didn't really _leave things alone_. He simply finds other people to bug. In this case, Tommen looked like a pretty good prospect.

"Hey, Joff," Tommen said, lugging the huge guitar case into the back seat before riding shotgun. The older one grinned and asked if he was hungry, to which Tommen dramatically nodded his head. Joffrey laughed at this.

"And here I thought Gen was the only drama queen in the family," he joked.

"Gen still takes all the awards for that!" replied Tommen.

Joffrey pulled out of the parking spot and drove around for about fifteen minutes before finding a parking spot. Tommen had no idea where they were going, so he let himself be led by Joffrey until they stopped in front of _Castle Darry_, the newest burger joint in King's Landing. Tommen grinned widely, making Joffrey happy that he made the right choice.

The fast food is every child's dream. It carries a castle theme: the booths were made to be like a wheelehouse, the staff were dressed as court jesters and princesses and knights, the décor was very much like stepping into medieval times. Even Joffrey was in awe of the place.

"May I assist my two most valued clients?"

Joffrey and Tommen spun around to find Chef Baelish standing there with a smile on his face. Joffrey and Tommen greeted him with hugs before finding themselves being led into one of the nicest booths - ahem, _wheelhouse_ - at the farthest corner of the establishment.

"I'm glad you both decided to drop by and taste our food," Chef Baelish said, his moustache going up as his mouth turned up into an even wider smile.

"Do you own this place?" asked Tommen.

Chef Baelish laughed. "I'm part owner, yes! But we have a staff to do the cooking. I still pledge loyalty to the Baratheons and their well-equipped kitchen."

They all laughed at this. Chef Baelish recommended some great sounding food and left them both alone for the meantime.

"Okay," Joffrey told Tommen as he leaned his elbows on the table and moved closer to his little brother. "What is going on with Gendry and Arya?"

The younger boy shrugged and said, "I don't know. I wanted to take Nymeria for a walk before I left, but I heard Arya crying in her room so I didn't bother knocking. Do you think they're mad at each other?"

"Couples fight, it's perfectly normal," Joffrey said. "Margaery and I used to fight all the time."

Tommen rolled his eyes. "No, Margaery used to nag all the time and you were just stupid to say yes to everything she said. That's not fighting."

"You're such a pain in the ass," Joffrey said with a sneer.

"Am not! Gendry says _you are_!"

"Okay, whatever. Point is, something's up with those two. You want to find out?"

Tommen grinned. "Absolutely."

* * *

Arya couldn't sleep. She hasn't come out of her room since she got home that afternoon, and her brothers had been nagging her about not eating dinner and making Nymeria miserable locked up in her room. But she knew the guys were only curious about why she'd been crying and why she's declined talking to Gendry.

He'd been texting and calling her non-stop, until Arya turned her phone off and flung it under the pillows. She'd resisted the urge to turn it back on and texting him back, but she'd been hurt earlier so she figured making him suffer too would make her feel satisfied.

Problem is, she didn't feel satisfied and it's only making her sad and lonely and grumpy and miserable that she tossed and turned for most of the night.

With a sigh and cursing herself for being weak when it comes to her ass of a boyfriend, she fished her phone from under the pillows and turned it back on. About 30 texts - all from him - came in one after the other, as well as prompts for 15 missed calls, also from him.

No, wait. One was from Joffrey.

Whatever. She knew it was only to ask about her and Gendry, so she deleted the log for Joffrey and went back to reading her texts. Each text gets funnier than the last, she could imagine his voice in her head, pleading, as she read his texts.

_Arya please…I'm sorry. I only panicked. Please talk to me._

_Please pick up my calls. We need to talk._

_I'm sorry, Arya. Talk to me. Please._

_Why aren't you picking up my calls? Text me back._

_Where are you? Why aren't you picking up my calls?_

_What the hell, Arya?! Where in the fucking world are you?!_

_Arya Stark, you fucking answer my texts or I swear to god I'll fucking drive through this fucking tree!_

_Arya…I'm sorry._

_:'(_

There it was again. That little crying face he sends when he feels sad, or simply when he wants to be _cute_. Arya's thumbs were itching to send a reply but she had to literally fling the phone back under her pillow to resist the temptation. Ten minutes later, her phone beeped for an incoming message. Her heart leapt to her throat and she thinks she stopped breathing when she saw it was a text from Gendry.

_I can't sleep. Please, Arya…talk to me. I'm right outside your door._

Well, shit.

Arya let five minutes pass before she finally dragged herself out of bed and walked slowly and quietly towards the door. She heard soft thumps on the door and was surprised when she saw Gendry sitting on the floor, his back leaning on the door, and he was softly thumping his head back. He jumped up in surprise, too, and a tentative smile slowly crept in his face. Arya forced her expression to be blank, even though she wanted so very much to jump into his arms and say that she was sorry too.

She opened the door wider to let him enter, and he immediately walked inside before she changed her mind. She looked out to the hall to make sure no one was around before closing the door. Gendry was standing near the foot of her bed, and Arya couldn't trust herself to be near him just yet. He was wearing an old shirt that looks as if it's already been used past its time and some comfortable shorts. Arya suddenly felt conscious when she realized she was wearing one of his old shirts too and nothing else but her underwear, and by the look on Gendry's face, she knows he's pleased by this.

"I'm sorry," Gendry started. The room was quiet, with only their breaths and Nymeria's soft snores were heard in the room. Not surprising at all, considering it was 2 am, and Arya suddenly felt nervous.

"I know. You've said it so many times, Gen."

Gendry took a step closer, and when Arya didn't react badly by it, he took another step and yet another until he was standing directly in front of her. Arya was not looking at his eyes but at his chin, though, and maybe his lips, but she refused to meet his gaze.

"Jeyne is my ex-girlfriend," he said, his eyes still boring into Arya's. "But it didn't last long and it's been over for close to two years already. She dumped me and I felt sorry for myself for a long time after that. I mean, we go out with other friends, but today was the first time I'm with someone after we broke up. I was just really nervous. And she caught me off-guard too."

"I'm sorry, I must have overreacted earlier," Arya said with a small smile on her face. "But hearing you call me a _friend_ in front of other people was so surprising and disappointing too, Gen. I felt hurt that you might not want to introduce me to people as your _girlfriend_."

Gendry shook his head, this time taking her head in his hands and kissing her forehead. She closed her eyes on instinct and let his thumbs caress the soft skin of her cheeks.

"I want to do it properly, you know," he said softly. "Tell people we're a couple? Come with me to the party because I'm letting people know that you, Arya Stark, are my girlfriend."

Arya rolled her eyes. "Stop it with the cheese, please. I'm going to hurl."

"I thought you like cheese? I can give you cheese. I have plenty of cheese in me."

"If you say anything embarrassing at Jeyne's party on Saturday, I'm taking the next flight out to Antarctica."

Gendry laughed and Arya's spine tingled because of the sound of it.

"Come here," she whispered, taking his hand into hers and leading him towards the bed.

Gendry raised his brows in question, but Arya raised her brows too in answer.

"Are you shitting me? You're not getting any tonight. I just want to lie here next to you," she said as she stretched out on the bed. Gendry lay next to her, stretching his larger frame beside her until they were face to face. Long minutes passed but they kept staring at each other, until she carefully reached out and ran a finger down his chest. Gendry must have shivered from the touch, because she felt it too. When her fingers were on his stomach and continued to move lower, Gendry squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed her hand to stop further descent.

"Stop," he whispered.

"I wasn't doing anything."

"Right."

"Okay, get out of this bed. Go sleep or something."

"I can't sleep, remember?"

"Count sheep or whatever fucking animal you can think of," she huffed. "Count bulls for all I care!"

"You're so fucking annoying when you try to get in fights with me."

"That's because you're being stupid and all."

"Stop calling me stupid!"

Arya sighed. "Are we going to fight again?"

"You started it!"

"That's it. Go to sleep, Gendry. _In your own bed_."

"No."

"Yes."

"This is my house, meaning the bed you're lying on is my bed. I'm not going anywhere."

"Fine! I'm going!"

She wasn't fast enough though, because the moment she swung her legs to the side, Gendry would his arms around her waist and pulled her back in. They struggled against each other for a while, until Gendry stopped moving because Arya's shirt (technically, it was Gendry's shirt) rode to her hips and her panties were exposed. Arya's face heated up, and she struggled to pull the shirt down, but Gendry only pulled her closer to him until her back was against his chest. Arya finally stopped moving when Gendry buried his face on the side of her neck, but not before planting a soft kiss.

"Gen…"

Arya shifted on her side, and when they were finally face to face, she let go of her playful manner and kissed him.

Gendry's arms tightened around hers, pulling her body closer to his until she was on top. The shirt once again rode up her hips, exposing her black panties, and Gendry shivered at the touch of her bare thighs around his hips. He kissed her deeper still, and she responded with the same enthusiasm.

When things were starting to go fast and heated, Gendry grabbed her head and made her pull back a little, pressing small teasing kisses on her lips before moving to her cheeks and temples. Arya sighed deeply; the sound was similar to a contented cat purring after a good meal. Gendry pressed his lips to her temples, a smile forming on his face.

"What are you doing?" she asked with exasperation evident in her voice.

"Just go slow, okay," he whispered, making Arya shiver. "There's no need to rush. Kissing doesn't always have to be in a hurry, unless you have an appointment."

Arya giggled. "It's 2 am, stupid."

"Exactly. Now shut up and kiss me."

When Arya kissed him again this time, it was more slow and erotic; her lips were soft and pliant, her tongue moving slowly in and out, up and around his mouth. It was a dance, their tongues, and Arya felt dizzy with the feel of his tongue in hers. Gendry is a good kisser. The guy knew what to do, how to control her, how to make her feel crazy with want and then light-headed from the feel of it all. His tongue stroked hers languidly; as if they had all the time in the world to lie back and make out for hours and hours.

During one of his forays with his tongue, Arya felt his hands grip her hips tighter and realized he was getting hard. She gave a small smile when she heard and felt his groan as she started grinding her hips; pressing her moist center to his hardness. Like that first time, his hips were slowly thrusting up and meeting her movements, and they agonized over how they both wanted to go all the way but it was too soon. He pulled back a bit, but Arya's lips suddenly went from his lips and down to his neck, moving on to his chest. And when she was kissing his hard muscled-stomach, Gendry wound his fingers into her hair and gave a gentle but firm tug.

"Arya, what are you doing?"

"Sshh. No talking."

She resumed kissing his stomach until she started pulling at his shorts, and Gendry almost jumped out of bed. Despite the control he was trying to keep, his body betrayed him in so many ways. By the time Arya pulled his shorts off and took him in her mouth - _oh dear jesus, her sweet mouth _- Gendry Baratheon was a dead man.

She started slow; taking him in and experimenting with long and slow strokes and licks. When she finally got the hang of it - she alternated between slow and deep, fast and shallow - he was sure he was going to come hard, even harder than last time. He entwined his fingers into her hair, keeping it away from her face so he could look into her startling gray eyes, and occasionally pushing and pulling, depending on how he wanted it to be. Arya let him lead her; and by the time she discovered how flicking her tongue at his tip and sucking on his balls made his eyes roll at the back of his head and his hips buck from the bed, Arya was close to making him come.

"Oh jesus, Arya!"

His grip on her hair tightened, his hips thrusting away from the bed and making her take him deeper into her mouth, his lips chanting her name over and over again…and then he came. It was hard and fast and excruciatingly sweet it was almost to the point of pain. Arya Stark has once again made him come so hard he thought he'd forgotten his name in the heat of the moment. His little wolf girl; innocent and at the same time not really; sucked the life out of his cock and his balls and he loved every single moment of it.

When his heartbeat had calmed down once again and his breathing returned to normal, he turned to look at her and she gave him a knowing grin. He read _I must have done a pretty fucking good job at giving head_ and he only chuckled weakly in response.

"That…was fucking ahhhh-maziiiing…" he said sleepily.

"Oh yeah? You're going to have to return the favor someday, stupid."

Gendry wiggled his brows at her. "You want me to return the favor now?"

Arya had the audacity to blush. "Quiet! You don't need to do it now!"

"What if I want to?"

"What if I'm not ready?"

Gendry turned serious. "You know I won't pressure you into doing anything you're not ready for, right?"

"I know," she sighed. "I want to, believe me. I fucking want to…but not yet, Gen. I'm sorry."

"You don't know how I fucking want to fuck your brains out, but only if you're ready."

"Okay, now I'm even more scared."

Gendry laughed, and Arya had to press her hand to his mouth to keep him quiet.

"My brothers are next door, you idiot! Shut up!" she hissed as she kept her hands on his mouth.

Gendry only licked her palm and Arya shivered at the feel of it.

"Oh god. You have to go back to your room. I just might change my mind."

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Gendry asked hopefully.

"Get out!"

"Okay! Okay!" he said as he got out of bed, but not without pressing a kiss on her mouth. "Leaving now. See you tomorrow for the party?"

"You're not going to be able to get rid of me, you'll be dragging me away from you before the night ends."

"I highly doubt that," he said with a laugh, before finally pulling his shorts back up and getting out of bed. He took one last look at her lying there before finally stepped out of the room; the door closing gently as he left.

* * *

"Pass me one."

Ramsay held his hand out to Raff as the others took turns inhaling the powdered substance. They had been hitting on cocaine that evening, passing up on the usual weed and to a more dangerous type of drug. Jeyne's party was awesome. They've been at it for two hours now, although his group were mostly locked in one of the rooms as they took turns with the drug.

"Ohhh fucking awesome, man," Polli groaned, leaning his head back on the couch as he took one last sniff before almost passing out.

Ramsay has just taken some too, so had Raff, Polli and Ilyn, except for Sandor who looked bored as hell. "Why aren't you taking anything, bro?"

Sandor only glared at Ramsay and shrugged.

"Sandor's a fucking pussy!" Raff exclaimed, kicking Sandor in the shin before going on. "I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't have balls inside his pants. Maybe he'd be better off as a girl - at least he'd have a cunt I'd want to fuck!"

Everyone snickered except for Sandor.

"You're so full of shit, Raff," he said through gritted teeth.

"Enough!" shouted Ramsay. "Where's that fucking Greyjoy douche?"

"Last I saw, he was going around talking to people, with those Starks and Baratheons," Ilyn replied, taking another sniff before collapsing on the bed.

Ramsay froze. "Is Arya here?"

"Yeah," Raff replied with a chuckle. "You have a thing for that girl?"

"Do I have a _thing_ for that girl? Are you so fucked you couldn't think, you dickbag? I don't have a _thing_ for the Stark girl. That girl only has to look at me and I'd be so fucking hard I could hammer nails with just my dick."

Everyone laughed. Ramsay got up from the bed and staggered to the door.

"Where are you going, Ram?" Ilyn asked, his words slurring now.

"I have a sudden itch to scratch. Gentlemen, lady Stark's fucking hot cunt awaits your royal higness' hard cock. I'll see you later, losers!"

Ramsay Bolton staggered out of the bedroom door in search of Arya.

* * *

The party was a blast. Everyone was having fun, and disregarding the fact that Arya knew no one here except for her brothers, her cousin, Gendry and Joffrey (okay yes, Jeyne too), she's having fun too now that she thinks about it.

Gendry made good on his promise; he introduced her as his girlfriend, which didn't actually surprise Jeyne. She said Gendry looked at her the same way he did back when they were together, and Arya didn't know if she's supposed to feel happy or annoyed about it. Nevertheless, tonight was one of the rare times they all went out together for fun, and Arya loved that Gendry stuck with her the whole time.

"Finally! A happy Stark!" Joffrey commented happily, as he took a drink of beer from his red plastic cup. Arya looked confused, so Joffrey had to explain his comment. "You guys got into a fight yesterday, hmm?"

Arya only shrugged in response.

"But I assume that because my brother couldn't keep his hands off your ass-"

Jon and Robb cleared their throats.

"-I mean, couldn't keep his eyes off of you-" Joffrey said as he looked to her brothers for approval. "That you guys are okay again?"

"All's good!" Arya replied with a grin.

At that exact moment, Gendry walked back to them holding a few more cups of beer to pass around. He looked from his brother to Arya and back again and said, "What are you talking about? Is Joff harassing you or something?"

Arya laughed. "No! He was just asking why you can't keep your hands off my ass."

Gendry looked over to the scowling Starks. "I..uhh…"

"Hey guys!"

They turned around and saw Jeyne walking towards them. She was wearing a short dress - _really_ short dress - and Arya had to sneak a peek at Gendry to see what his reaction was.

_Thank god stupid's eyes are not wandering below her neck!_

Her brothers and Joffrey, unfortunately, were not so discreet. Their gazes slowly crawled lower, starting from her face and down to her legs, and Arya saw that Jeyne loved it. She loved getting the male population's attention, and despite having talked to Gendry already, she started to feel a little annoyed again.

_I wonder if during their relationship, Gendry has fucked the brains out of this girl._

"Arya? Are you having fun as well?" Jeyne seemed to have repeated the question, since Arya's mind was somewhere else.

_Like, if Jeyne gives good head and if her boyfriend loved it?_

Arya mentally shook her head and pasted a smile on her face. "Yeah! This is a great party, Jeyne! Thanks for inviting me, too."

Jeyne waved her hand as if to signal that it was nothing. "Oh shush! A friend of Gendry's is a friend of mine, too!"

"Girlfriend." Gendry quipped.

"Of course. Girlfriend." Jeyne put a stress on _girlfriend_. Arya noticed that the girl's face looked about ready to crack because of that fake smile. And at that moment, Arya Stark had finally realized that Jeyne Heddle is first class bitch who still has the hots for boyfriend.

_But he's with me now, so choke on that, bitch!_

"Well, I have to go check if I have to go order more pizza. Later, guys!"

She smiled even wider before taking her leave. Arya noticed that the girl turned to look back and saw that Gendry's hand was wrapped tightly to Arya's. She decided to give Jeyne a little show and tugged on Gendry's hand, pulling him down for a kiss. With a flip of her shiny, blonde hair, Jeyne left the group to themselves.

Gendry looked surprised by this, although Jon and Robb looked like they wanted to pull them apart.

"Okay, don't push it, Baratheon!" Robb said, smacking Gendry in the arm. "It's one thing to know that you're my sister's boyfriend, but it's another thing to know you've already kissed her."

"Let's go now, Baratheon! Let's save room for Jesus," Jon said as he pulled Gendry away from his sister.

"Really, guys?" Arya remarked, placing her hands on her hips. "We're all adults here."

"Yeah, but you're still our sister," Robb answered.

"Unbelievable," Arya muttered.

Just then, a flustered looking Theon ran up to them. He was panting; trying to catch his breath as if he ran a great distance.

"Guys! We've got trouble!" Theon said breathlessly.

"What's going on?" Joffrey asked, placing a hand on Theon's shoulder.

"The guys! Ramsay and the guys! I found them in one of the rooms upstairs. They're…they're doing drugs. Here at the party. They've smuggled drugs in this party! If we don't go now, we're going to get in trouble with the cops!"

"Did anyone report it?" Arya asked.

Theon nodded. "Sandor. I ran into him as he walked out on them and told me to get the hell out of here. He's called the cops."

The guys and Arya seemed alarmed. Gendry snapped out of it immediately and said, "Okay, you guys leave now. I have to tell Jeyne so she'd know. It's still her house," he added quickly when he noticed that Arya was about to argue. "She has to know. You go on with your brothers and get the hell out of here!"

He pressed a kiss on her lips before running off to find Jeyne. Jon, Robb, Theon and Joffrey dashed out of the front door and to Joffrey's parked SUV. They found Sandor as he was about to get inside his car. He gave a little nod to them, as if to say that they did the right thing. He quickly got in, started the car, and was soon off careening down the street.

The Starks, Theon and Joffrey quickly got in the car, but Arya froze by the door.

"Wait! My purse! I have to get my purse! The cops might search the house and I have my IDs there! I'll be fast, I promise!"

Before anyone could argue, Arya ran back inside the house and into Jeyne's room, where the girl asked them to leave their purses because it'll be safer. Despite Arya's rush, no one seemed to know anything about an impending visit by the cops, but she knew that the news would erupt any moment now if Gendry was somewhere in there telling Jeyne about it.

When she finally grabbed her purse, she turned around and ran right smack into someone's chest.

"Ow, shit!" she cried out as she lost her balance and fell on her ass. She looked up and saw the last person she wanted to see that night.

Standing there, eyes red-rimmed, dilated pupils, looking so much like the arrogant ass he is multiplied by 10, Ramsay Bolton took a few sluggish steps towards Arya and said, "Hello, Arya Stark. I've been looking all over for you."

* * *

Gendry ran towards the SUV and immediately hopped in.

"Go! Go! Go!" he shouted to Joffrey, who was in the driver's seat.

"Where's Arya?" Jon shouted back.

"What do you mean _where's Arya_? I left her with you fuckers! Why are you asking me where she is?!"

"She ran back inside to get her purse! She said she'd be out quickly!" Jon answered.

Everyone quickly got out, except for Joffrey, who had to stay and keep the engine running.

"Stay here! I'm going back for her!" Gendry said angrily as he retreated towards the house. When he noticed that Jon, Robb and Theon were at his heels, he turned around and pushed the first person he came across with. Sadly for Robb, it was him.

"I said stay here!" Gendry shouted.

"Fuck you! You're just Arya's boyfriend! We're her family!" Robb shouted back.

Gendry must have realized how irrational he was being, not to mention selfish, so he nodded at the three and said, "Let's go get your sister!"


	16. Chapter 16

She couldn't breathe.

Time seemed to stop as she stared at Ramsay stumble towards her; his eyes a glossy shade of blue and his dark hair seemed to be wet with sweat. She tried to fish her cellphone out of her purse but because she's Arya Stark, the inside of her purse is a jumbled mess: tissues, receipts, make up, wallet, hairbrush and God knows what else.

_Shit! Shit! Shit!_

She mentally cursed herself and resumed watch over Ramsay as he slowly approached her. She's trying so hard to stay calm lest she brings out an aggression in the guy that she's not ready for. If their first encounter has left her uncomfortable, this one definitely takes the cake. Arya was nervous and scared and she wished Gendry or her brothers would come rushing in to rescue her. But since she hasn't sent a message nor does anyone know Ramsay's with her, she doubts anyone will come save a damsel in distress.

_Should I scream? No, no, no, no! That'll only make Ramsay angry. I don't want him angry. Gods! I don't want him angry right now!_

Arya checked her surroundings - the bed was in front of her, a desk was to her right, the closet and dresser behind her, bathroom to the opposite side of the room, a 2-seater couch at the far end, and the door several steps on her right. It would be her saving grace, this door, but she would have to be cunning about making a run for it.

"What do you want, Ramsay?" Arya asked, trying to keep her tone calm and unaffected.

Ramsay laughed; a creepy sound that made the hair on Arya's arms and nape stand on end. She knows he's high and not in his right mind, so she decides not to anger him. Despite her knack for self defense, he's still taller and heavier that physically fighting him would be stupid.

_If at times you find yourself in danger, it is best to be ready and alert. It would not do you good to panic._

Ned Stark's voice spoke in her head, reminding her how she should keep a presence of mind during dangerous situations. She took a few small steps to her right, towards the door that would lead her to safety, but Ramsay kept advancing in on her that Arya _did _start to panic.

"You're so pretty, Arya Stark," Ramsay said, his words slurring. His movements were sluggish, but Arya still kept her guard. Anyone under the influence of drugs or alcohol would still be strong, if not twice as aggressive, despite the lethargic state. "I just want to fuck you so bad…no strings attached…you know…"

Arya's nervousness went up to a record high; her heart beating so fast inside her chest and her hands were shaking so bad. She didn't know how else she could get out of there except to make a run for it and pray that Ramsay was so high that his reflexes weren't as fast as when he's sober.

"Come on, Arya," he said as he crossed the distance by going over the bed. "I'm a better fuck than Gendry, at least that's what Jeyne says."

Arya watched as his weight dipped the bed and due to his state, he couldn't get across as fast as he wanted.

_Wrong move, you pervert!_

Arya took that opportunity to run but apparently, Ramsay is the devil's spawn because he leapt for her as she rushed to the right. He caught her left ankle, making her crash to the floor with a loud and painful thump. Arya cried out in pain, her eyes filling with tears as her vision blurred and spinned. Ramsay's hand moved from her ankle up to her leg, and Arya tried kicking him between his legs. She wasn't so successful, though, seeing as she was pinned facedown and Ramsay's hands were already at her thighs before giving a mighty pull. Arya could only scream and cry at this point, although she still struggled to get free with what little strength she had left.

Suddenly, she felt hands pulling her to her feet and away from Ramsay. She opened her eyes and saw Theon behind her, holding her up. She glanced to where Ramsay was, curled up as Gendry and her brothers beat him to a bloody pulp. Ramsay fought back; adrenaline being the only thing that kept him able to fight back. Finally seeing sense, Robb and Jon pulled back, leaving an outraged Gendry sitting astride Ramsay and still throwing punches. Robb tried pulling Gendry away from Arya's attacker, while Jon pulled Ramsay's beaten body away from their friend but not loosening his grip one bit.

"I'm going to fucking kill you, Bolton! You're dead, you hear?" Gendry shouted as Robb held him back.

"Yeah, yeah! I want to see you try, Baratheon! You're a no-good fucker and I'm going to kill you before you kill me! I'm going to flay you! All of you! I'll strip your skin off your fucking corpses and feed it to your fucking wolves! I'll flay you! Just you wa-"

Gendry landed a punch on Ramsay's mouth before he could say anything more. Ramsay fell on a heap on the floor, his unmoving form splayed out like he was making snow angels.

"Gendry…" Arya croaked out, her throat feeling raspy that she cringed in pain. Gendry seemed oblivious to everything because his anger was clouding his better judgement, but Arya tried one more time. "GENDRY!"

Gendry looked up at her with glassy eyes before finally realizing she was okay. He got off Ramsay and rushed over to Arya, taking her in his arms as if that would erase the last ten minutes. She heard Robb tell the others to take Ramsay in another room and to find the others, until the cops get here. She realized she's only clung to Gendry for support at this inopportune turn of events, and she owes her brothers her life too, not just Gendry. So she disentangled herself from Gendry and rushed into Jon's waiting arms. After a while, she moved to Robb and then to Theon, who took this chance to murmur _I'm so sorry_ and _I was so stupid _in her ear. She held on to Theon longer than she did for her brothers, maybe because she realized he needed their forgiveness for not listening to them and the assurance that he's still very much part of their family.

"You did the right thing, Theon," said Arya a while later. "You listened to Sandor and told us. That's what's important, too."

"Come on, guys," said Joffrey as he rushed into the room after Robb and Jon took Ramsay to the next room. "Cops are here already."

He was looking at Arya like he wanted to hug her too. Arya laughed through her tears and said, "Come here, you dork!"

Joffrey laughed too before taking her in for a hug. "Good to know you're still in fighting form, squirt."

"Shut up!"

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay?" Gendry asked when they were back home.

The cops came and took Ramsay, Ilyn, Raff and Polli to the precinct to answer for drug charges and attempted assault. Unfortunately, Arya had to tell her story before they could all leave for home. Robert and Cersei were not in town at the moment, and Arya was thankful for that bit. She didn't know how things would turn out if both the Baratheon parents were home at that time. And unfortunately for Ramsay, his father had to be alerted by the authorities for all the charges being pressed on his son.

After another round of hugs and brotherly kisses, Gendry walked her back to her room so she could get a much-needed rest. She noticed that he hasn't spoken since their ride home; he only has that frown plastered on his face and his mouth was a grim line the whole time.

"Hey," Arya said as they stopped in front of her door. She tugged his hand to get him to move closer to her, to which he willingly obliged. "I'm okay, Gendry. Now that I think about it, it wasn't as traumatic as you guys think it was. I mean, Ramsay was petrifying but at least nothing as bad as rape happened."

"What if we got there minutes too late? Do you still think everything's fine?" he said with a slight anger to his voice.

"I'm not saying I wasn't scared, Gen," Arya pointed out. "But I was lucky that you guys came on time before that perv could say or do anything else. Don't beat yourself up too much about it. My brothers are surprisingly calmer than you right now."

"Well, they're doing a good job of hiding it," he answered. "Because Robb and Jon looked like they wanted to beat Ramsay up by themselves."

Gendry turned the knob behind her and gently pushed her inside. "Go on, you should rest. Just call when you need me."

Arya rolled her eyes. "Okay, enough being a drama queen. There's only so much cheese and drama I can handle for one night."

Gendry took her face into his hands and pressed feathery kisses from her forehead down to her lids, her nose, her cheeks, the corner of her mouth...and when he felt Arya grip the front of his shirt in frustration, he chuckled before finally giving in to plant a kiss on her mouth.

He kept it sweet and comforting; not pushing Arya for something more after all she had been through tonight. She sensed this but did not fully agree to it - she wanted his kisses to turn hard and deep and insanely arousing that he would have to drag her away from him afterwards.

He sensed it too, this urgency she wanted, and pulled back with his last remaining restraint. "Arya…you should rest. We have time for more kisses tomorrow."

Gendry wanted to turn his back and walk away before he could do anything else, but he was finding it hard not to stare back at her. She looked at him with those arresting eyes of hers without wavering one bit, her lips looking plush and red and swollen from their kisses. He would have walked away but Arya whispered, "Stay with me, Gen. Just…just till I fall asleep?"

And Gendry realized that he did not have the heart to walk away.

* * *

"I'm so fucking stupid! I should have listened to you guys!" Theon ranted at breakfast the following day.

They were all gathered in the kitchen except for Arya, who was still asleep. Gendry said she had slept peacefully through the whole night, and her brothers resisted the urge to ask how he knew that. There would be more time to interrogate later, but for now, it was important that they help Theon get over his shock and disappointment for not listening to the others when they warned him about it.

Joffrey patted him on the back for support. "It took the hard way before you realized it, but at least we're done with the Ramsay problem for now. Serves him right for being an irresponsible brat!"

Gendry laughed. "Takes one to know one, bro!"

Everyone laughed, except Joffrey who pretended to look hurt.

"Where's Sandor now, by the way?" Theon asked.

"No idea," answered Gendry. But he's some sort of hero, don't you think? His friends would probably _flay_ him, as Ramsay said, once they find out he's the one responsible for calling the cops. You think he's in hiding?"

"I could try calling him. Maybe he'd pick up if it were me," Theon suggested, to which everyone agreed.

"So!" Robb said while dramatically rubbing his hands together. "What do we have planned for today?"

"I have to hit the gym. Haven't been there for days now, I feel lazy," Gendry said.

"Let's hit the gym first then plan something later. I'm sort of pissed with my old instructor, we could try the other gym near _Doughnuts of Dorne_," Jon replied.

"I'm not really in the mood to work out today," Joffrey complained.

Everyone laughed as Gendry grabbed an apple from the fruit basket and threw it to his brother. Joffrey caught it just in time, before it knocked the glasses and plates off the table.

"You prick!" Joffrey shot the apple back to his brother, who easily caught it before taking a huge bite. "What kind of guy throws apples at people?"

"The bad kind," Gendry replied with a smirk.

* * *

"_Drogo's_. Huh," Theon said, his head tilted to one side as he stared at the signage.

The guys were looking up at the sign that said _Drogo's Fitness Center_. It was a couple of blocks away from _Doughnuts of Dorne_, and it looked pretty new in the area although there were a lot of people coming in and out of the gym.

"Come on," Jon said as he led them inside and to the reception desk. "We won't build muscles just standing out there staring at the sign."

After talking to the receptionist, they were led inside where a huge man greeted them with a nod and a grunt. They learned that this is Khal Drogo, the owner. They would have been happy to chat awhile with the owner, except that he was speaking a different language and they just stood there staring at him as he grunted and growled words as he waved his hands around and laughing occasionally.

"Ahhh…what the hell is he talking about?" asked Joffrey, who looked to be a bit intimidated by the man's ginormous size.

Robb was fake-smiling as he replied, "I have no fucking idea, but I sure hope it doesn't translate to _Me, Drogo! You, dog food!_"

Joffrey wasn't able to control his laughter and Robb had to elbow him on the side to make him stop. Drogo stopped talking for a while, looking as confused as the others were, until Joffrey just waved his hand to apologize.

Moments later, two men walked towards them and introduced themselves as Jory and Jorah, the instructors.

Joffrey laughed again. The guys glared at him this time, but Joffrey only shrugged and whispered, "What?! You don't find it funny? Jory and Jorah, the instructors? I'm kind of resisting the urge to ask where Dora is."

Khal Drogo started talking to Jory and Jorah, who seemed to both be fluent with the language as well. They were nodding and responding to Drogo's queries (at least that's what they sounded like) and laughed when necessary. Afterwards, they turned back to the five of them and literally checked them out from head to toe.

"I feel like a prostitute," Jon said with a grimace.

"I'm sorry if you feel so," said Jorah (yes, the instructor). "The Khal just wanted to know what kind of work out suits each of you."

"Do you wish to be as big and muscular as Khal Drogo here?" Jory (yes, the other instructor) asked.

All five of them shook their heads.

Jory, Jorah and Drogo grinned. The latter gave a few more instructions before the instructors spoke.

"Let's do a muscle building workout routine," explained Jorah. "We'll be working out about four times a week, since you all look quite past the beginner's stage, based on your muscles…"

Jorah's eyes squinted at Joffrey. "Well, _almost all_. You look like you haven't been working out as often as they do. You're fit enough, but you need more muscles like this guy over here," he explained, patting Gendry's back.

Gendry sent a mocking grin at Joffrey, to which the latter responded with a curl of his lips.

"Alright!" Jory said with a clap of his hands. "Upper Body work out is chest, back, shoulders, biceps and triceps. Lower Body workout is for quads, hamstrings, calves and abs. On Monday, it's Upper Body A work out. Tuesday, it's Lower Body A. We're off Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Thursday, we're doing Upper Body B and Lower Body B on Friday. Any questions?"

The guys shook their heads.

"Good!" Drogo exclaimed in a very thick foreign accent. "Drogo's Fitness Center…very good? Yes? _Me nem nesa!"_

"What?" Robb nudged Jon in question.

"_Me nem nesa_ means _It is known_," explained Jorah.

"Ahhh," all five guys nodded in understanding.

Drogo stood in front of Joffrey, who looked about ready to pee in his gym shorts. He pointed to him and exclaimed loudly enough for everyone to hear, "_Yer affesi anna! Shieraki gori ha yeraan!"_

Jory laughed. "The Khal said he doesn't like you, probably because you're easily intimidated compared with these guys. And he said _the stars are charging for you_, which is a sort of battle cry in their language. They believe that when a warrior dies, he becomes a star in the sky."

"I came here to work out, not to be killed in a battle and become a fucking star!" Joffrey shot back, to which the guys started snickering.

Jorah laughed. "I would say it means you should approach this work out as some sort of battle. And when you succeed, you'll be a star in everyone's eyes. I think."

"I just want to work out, not study languages or philosophy or even get killed in a battle," Joffrey said again.

"Let's get you guys warmed up," said Jory and Jorah, going all Doublemint twins again.

Khal took another step towards Joffrey and shouted, "_Shieraki gori ha yeraan!"_

"Oh sweet jesus, help…" Joffrey muttered.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Thanks for the previous chapter's reviews. To answer your questions: yes, we will be seeing more of Sandor soon...yes, there will be more funny Stark/Baratheon/Drogo interaction at the gym...yes, there will be more jealous Gendrya scenes...and no, Arya will no longer be a virgin. Oops, got your attention there? LOL. But you're just going to have to wait for that a bit more. But it'll come...it is known!**

**This one's a slow chapter...just trying to prep for an upcoming birthday celebration/vacation before Uni starts for the Starks/Baratheons.**

**Again, not my best work, but still...ENJOY :)**

* * *

"Your transcript is pretty impressive."

The Dean of the Department of Communication at University of Kings Landing remarked as he studied Arya's transcript. Arya was in for an interview upon learning that she passed the entrance exams. They were in his office - Dean Beric Dondarrion, his nameplate read - and Arya found him to be quite warm and accommodating.

"People are usually surprised that I'm not so stupid after all," Arya joked, to which the Dean laughed. "They often see me as a happy-go-lucky kind of girl, who doesn't give care about her studies."

"And you prove them wrong every time?"

Arya shrugged. "Well…not every time."

The Dean burst in hearty laughter at her admission. He started putting the documents inside the envelope and then leaned back on his large, leather swivel chair. He crossed his arms on his chest and stared at her. Arya felt self-conscious that she just focused her attention on his silvery-gray tie.

"I know your father, Miss Stark," he said after a moment's pause.

Arya was surprised by this. Her father knew she applied for UKL, the Department of Communication to be exact, but he failed to mention that he knew the Dean. Were they friends? Or _are_ they friends?

"Are you friends?" Arya inquired with a tilt of her head.

"Yes, we _are_," Dean Dondarrion answered.

_Okay, that was definitely in the present tense. Not good._

"We spoke on the phone last week, actually."

Arya was pretty alarmed now. "Sir, not to be rude or anything, but I hope your decision to accept my application will not be influenced by the fact that you and my father are friends. It's just that…I want…I want to be able to get in because I deserve to be here, and not because my father is Ned Stark, businessman extraordinaire."

Dean Dondarrion chuckled. "I like your honesty, Arya. And don't worry, my friendship with your father did not affect my decision to accept you into our department. Being able to pass the admissions test, your excellent transcript, and your interview are proof enough that you deserve to be here. Welcome to University of King's Landing, Arya Stark."

* * *

They all went out for dinner that night. Upon learning that Arya passed, Robert and Cersei thought it would be nice to have some sort of celebration. The couple was back in town, and everyone was in a jovial mood. They asked Arya to choose what restaurant to go to, and she chose _Braavos_. Well, she chose it, but technically, everyone sort of hinted at it. It was their favorite restaurant after all, and the Starks' too, to be honest.

It was a happy night for everyone. After the Ramsay incident two weeks ago, (which Robert and Cersei know nothing of yet), it was a nice change of atmosphere. Everyone was pretty relaxed and in high spirits. The food was amazing, as usual, right from the appetizers of _beef lettuce wraps_, to the _ebi tempura_, _smoked salmon pizza_, excellently-cooked _peppered rib eye steak_, _bacon-wrapped asparagus_, and the currently being devoured _frozen tiramisu_, Cersei's favorite _fruit parfait_, and _mango and strawberry flambé. _It was no wonder _Braavos _is a King's Landing favorite. There's a wide array of food on the menu, plus an amazing fusion of food between all four corners of the world.

"Oh gods," Arya hummed as she took a spoonful of the tiramisu. "This is soooo good!"

She was oblivious to the fact that Gendry was watching her as she took bite after bite of the mouthwatering dessert. Her eyes were closed, her pink tongue appearing as she licked the cream off her lips, her head tilted back in pleasure. Gendry's mouth must be hanging open because Jon elbowed him on the side, to which Gendry reacted with a slight jump, making his knee hit the underside of the table and causing the plates and utensils to clink and a few glasses to get knocked down.

Arya's eyes flew open and Gendry found the entire table staring at him in surprise. Joffrey and Tommen were trying to choke back laughter, but Jon, Robb and Theon weren't smiling. Nope, not one bit.

"Are you okay, hon?" asked Cersei. She signaled to the waiter to have the mess cleaned up, as Robert asked for the bill.

"I'm fine," Gendry muttered under his breath.

"You're in public, bro," Jon said through gritted teeth. "You're lucky only this side of the table saw you ogling my sister!"

"I can't help it!" Gendry spat out. "Your sister's making me crazy!"

"Oh for fuck's sake! That's our sister, you dumbass!" Robb groaned from Gendry's left. "Remember what we talked about? Grey Wind, Ghost, Lady, Nymeria, Summer and Shaggydog? Remember them?"

"Okay! Okay! Geez, get off my back!" Gendry replied with an exasperated tone.

While waiting for the bill, Arya realized that Gendry's distress must be caused by her open appreciation of the food, so she decided to torture him a bit more. With a blank expression, she kicked her shoe off and let her foot crawl up the length of his leg. Gendry froze halfway through a bite of the tiramisu, his face looked comical that Arya almost burst in laughter. She did it again; this time creeping higher up his thigh and was rewarded by a pale-faced, gawking Gendry. She scanned the faces of everyone in the table and was relieved to see that no one noticed anything peculiar.

When she was close to his crotch area, Gendry grabbed her ankle and gave it a little yank. Arya was surprised by the action, but she did not let up with the teasing. She wiggled her toes, making them brush the fabric of his pants, even as Gendry held her by the ankle. She knew he was getting affected by this because his grip turned deathly tight until she tugged her leg and foot away from his lap and settling back on her chair.

Arya left him alone for a few minutes before going at it again. She noticed that Gendry didn't seem affected anymore and was in fact sporting a stupid grin on his face. She teased him some more; making her foot crawl back up his crotch until Jon jumped out of the table and put his hands on his hips.

"Arya!" he hissed.

She didn't realize why Jon was pissed until she saw Gendry laughing like crazy. The others were still clueless, although some were starting to get annoyed.

_Oh my effing god! Did my foot just crawl up Jon's leg by mistake?_

She slumped on her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. She was so embarrassed that she felt angry at Gendry, even if she knew it was all her doing. She didn't say another word nor look at anyone until Robert had paid for the bill and got ready to leave. After several thanks from the restaurant staff and some curious patrons - the Baratheons are famous in King's Landing, after all - they stepped out of the warmth of _Braavos_ and into the chilly night air.

Gendry tried walking beside Arya and kept discreetly touching her arm and elbow to get her attention, but she walked ahead without looking at him. He finally gave up when she trudged onwards and fell into step with Cersei, who entwined her arm with Arya's and started talking about UKL.

"If you two don't stop being horny teenagers in public, I'm going to send Arya over to Storm's End and you both could forget about seeing each other," Jon threatened with a low, menacing growl.

The Starks took either side of Gendry, making the latter feel like a little boy lost and scared. Theon was walking in the rear, which only made Gendry feel even more threatened. He glanced over to the right and saw Joffrey and Tommen watching them and snickering.

_Hell, even Tommen knows I'm whipped._

"Remember, bro," Robb said calmly as he patted Gendry's back. "Grey Wind, Ghost, Lady, Nymeria, Summer, Shaggydog. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Gendry mumbled in reply.

That night as he tossed and turned in bed, he mumbled this sort of prayer until he fell asleep:

_"Grey Wind, Ghost, Lady, Nymeria, Summer, Shaggydog. Grey Wind, Ghost, Lady, Nymeria, Summer, Shaggydog. Grey Wind, Ghost, Lady, Nymeria, Summer, Shaggydog. Grey Wind, Ghost, Lady, Nymeria, Summer, Shaggydog…"_

* * *

"Uncle Renly! Uncle Renly!" Tommen exclaimed happily as the youngest of Robert's brothers walked out into the pool area, carrying boxes of pizza. He was followed by an attractive young man, almost pretty as a girl and also as fashionable as Renly is. Arya assumed this was Loras Tyrell, Renly's boyfriend.

The guys were lazing and playing around in the pool area. Arya went up to change into her swimsuit and has just come down when Renly and Loras appeared.

"Arya!" Renly sauntered towards her with a huge grin on his face. He asked his companion to follow him so he could introduce him to Arya. As assumed, he is Loras Tyrell and Renly's boyfriend.

He opted to kiss her on each cheek than to shake her hand. It was more casual, he said, and formalities only belong to Stannis. Renly and Arya both laughed, which made Loras smile as well. As a first impression, Loras seemed to be as awesome as Renly is.

They walked back to the lounge area where Jon, Robb, Theon, Joff, Gendry and Tommen were. The youngest boy was already feasting on his second pizza. While the rest of them were…

…staring.

Her brothers and cousin were wearing scowls while an amused Joffrey was looking from Gendry to Arya then to her brothers. Gendry, on the other hand, looked like a fish out of water, with his mouth opening and closing but no sound came out.

_Oh. Okay. Maybe I should have worn a one piece instead of this._

She was wearing the same black set she wore during that night with Gendry at the Jacuzzi. Maybe it really worked wonders for her; how it fit snugly to her body, showing all the right bumps and curves. She would have tortured Gendry more by flaunting more of herself, except that other people were there, especially her brothers and cousin who all looked like they would choke to their death.

"Close your mouth, stupid," she mumbled as she took a seat beside Gendry. She thinks she heard his teeth clamp together so fast he must be missing some teeth.

"I can't help it, you know," Gendry replied under his breath. "You look so fucking hot, Arya. Remember the first time we kissed? You were wearing that, right?"

"Shut up," Arya snapped, although it was a bit weak even to her ears.

"Gendry," Jon called out his name.

_Fuck!_ Gendry thought as he quickly moved further from Arya. _Grey Wind, Ghost, Lady, Nymeria, Summer, Shaggydog…_

"You want pizza?" Jon asked.

Gendry quickly walked over to where the others were to grab a slice of pizza. Arya had to roll her eyes at Jon, for she knew Jon and Robb were keeping watch.

"Sooo," started Renly, taking a seat from across the group. "It's your mom's birthday next Saturday. Have you guys got anything planned?"

No one answered.

Renly rolled his eyes and slumped his shoulders in exasperation. "I knew it. No one here has serious party planning skills, which is why I've taken over the task of organizing something for Cersei."

"Will it be a big celebration?" Tommen asked excitedly.

"Of course, hon! If it's Cersei, it has to be grandiose! Soooo…I've assigned tasks for each of you!" Renly said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Uh oh," said Joffrey. "Last time you organized a party, we ended up wearing ridiculous Hawaiian shirts and grass skirts for Dad's birthday."

"Don't be ridiculous," Renly shot back. "You were the only one wearing the grass skirt!"

"I know! Which is why I'm kind of scared right now!" Joff said.

"Don't worry," Renly replied with a huge grin on his face. "A luau is so last year. This year, we're doing Disney Princess!"

The guys choked on their pizza. "What?!" sputtered Gendry.

Renly rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time. "I was kidding, okay? We're going on a little vacation, and we're doing it in Loras's private resort!"

"But we have a pool right here at home? Why do we have to go somewhere else for a pool party?" Joffrey asked.

Renly breathed a deep sigh. "Okay guys, I guess Joffrey won't be flying with us."

"Flying?" Arya asked in all excitement. "We're going somewhere remote and exotic?"

"You bet! And Joffrey here," Renly said, pointing his finger at his nephew. "Is staying home to feed the dogs. Wolves. Wolf dogs. Whatever."

"Alright! Alright! I was just saying..." Joffrey muttered.

"Theon, Joff and Jon," Renly said as he pointed to each of them for emphasis. "You guys are in charge of setting up the place. You have to plan how you guys would set up everything when we get there. Got that?"

"Got it," Jon said with a grin.

Renly turned to the other three this time. "Robb, Tommen and Gendry, you guys are in charge of logistics. Make sure the food, equipment, materials and whoever and whatever will be needed will be flown from here to the island. Intiendes?"

"Copy that!" Robb replied enthusiastically.

"Make sure Chef Baelish is free to fly with us, alright?" Renly added.

"Wait-did you say _island_? I just heard _island_," Jon said with a pleasantly surprised expression.

"My family has a private island in the Highgarden," Loras explained with a smirk.

Arya turned to Renly and said, "What about me? What am I assigned to do?"

"You just need to sit there and be pretty," Renly answered.

Arya raised her brows in question. "Are you shitting me?"

"Of course, I am," Renly laughed. "You'll help me with the expenses. We're in charge of buying everything we need, because that's what I'm good at."

Arya laughed. "As long as it's your money!"

"Actually," Renly whispered only to Arya. "It's going to be Robert's money we're spending!"

"Awesome! Can we start today?" Arya said, her grin splitting from ear to ear.


	18. Chapter 18

"Do you know where we're going?"

Cersei whispered to Arya as the men, led by Renly and Loras, ushered them towards two waiting limousines. They have just landed in the island's private airstrip after a 45-minute plane ride. They at first considered blindfolding Cersei for the surprise, but decided against it when she threatened to stay at home and celebrate her birthday on her own.

Renly, Loras, Robert, Cersei and Tommen were in one limousine while the rest of them were in the other. If the view from the plane was already breathtaking, Arya was already giddy with excitement upon seeing the island's lush greenery, crystal blue waters and powder-fine white sand. It is a very private island, as Loras boast proudly of. They were the only ones there, save for the Tyrell staff plus Chef Baelish and his own staff, who all flew in the day before. The Starks and Baratheons looked at each other with silly grins on their faces. They were joking and teasing each other until the vehicle came to a stop in front of a sprawling white modern structure. Although the Starks do have their own private resort and the Baratheons have one too, including a private lodge up in Switzerland, the Tyrells are no doubt as loaded as both families. The private island and its numerous staff is proof of that.

Everyone _ooh-_ed and _aah-_ed as soon as they walked in the main house. It looked every bit a dream vacation beach house. The walls were a clean white, the glass windows were ceiling to floor but tinted for viewing only from inside looking out and not the other way around. The décor were simple and the furniture practical; everything was reminiscent of those Caribbean vacations Arya and her family had over past summers.

"I'm impressed," Cersei said to Loras, who in turn was grinning. "_Very_ impressed! Thank you for offering this beautiful place for my birthday vacation."

"Anytime you feel like getting away from the city, Highgarden and its staff is yours to command, my Queen," Loras teased. He remembered Renly's story about how Cersei loves being called _Queen_.

"Oh shush, you!" Cersei said with a playful swat of her hand on Loras's arm. "I am no Queen!"

"Why don't you all relax for now and we'll call you when lunch is served," Renly addressed everyone. He looks comfortable here that Arya couldn't help but wonder, _how many times has he been here with Loras?_

The group dispersed to find rooms of their own. Gendry fell into step with Arya as she lugged her suitcase up the stairs. Gendry grabbed it for her, carrying it easily despite his own suitcase. The others filed up the stairs in search of rooms at the second floor, while Gendry and Arya took the opportunity to be alone even for a moment.

"Feel like bunking with me?" Gendry asked with a smirk on his face.

Arya laughed softly. "You know you'll never get past my door, right? What with my brothers watching your every move?"

Gendry frowned. "They're breathing down my neck, Ar. I don't even know how we can spend time together when they're always lurking around. It's worse than when we first got together."

"That's because you don't know the meaning of _discreet_, stupid bull that you are."

"Yeah," he snapped, feeling a bit irritated now. "That's because I'm _stupid this, stupid that_. That's all you call me."

"You do know that's my term of endearment for you, right?"

Gendry remained silent, and Arya took heart.

"You should learn how to work around my brothers," she explained. "Trust me, I've lived with them my whole life." They were by the doorway of one of the rooms Arya had chosen for herself. She scanned the hallway and saw that her brothers have disappeared in one of the largest rooms in the house. With a smile, she pulled Gendry in the room with her and closed the door. Gendry quickly seized the opportunity to kiss her, like, kiss her properly.

It was a bit rushed, though. Both knew they only had a few minutes before one of her brothers, or worse, all of them plus her cousin, would come calling. Arya became the aggressor; pushing Gendry until he was trapped between her and the door. He gave a soft growl; the sound giving Arya goose bumps all over. Soon, their kisses turned hot and hard and doubly arousing. The soft feel of lips on lips, the swirling of tongues, and the groping of hands on hips and back and chest and every other inch of skin they could reach. It would have gone on to something more if they hadn't heard one of the guys call out.

"Gendry!"

Gendry pulled back from the kiss, his lips moving to her forehead where it would be safer. At the state he's in, he would be getting blue balls before the weekend is over, unless he does something about it. He heard Arya sigh as he enveloped her in his arms for a while longer.

"Gendry! You better be here in the next twenty seconds or you know what's coming to you! If only Grey Wind were here…" the voice trailed off further as he probably moved on to another room.

_Okie dokie. That was definitely Robb._

"I have to go," he whispered, pressing one last kiss to her swollen lips. "I'll see you out there, okay?"

Arya only nodded, running a finger to her lips and feeling them tingle from the kiss. "Bye," she whispered.

Gendry gave a soft laugh, making another foray to her mouth before finally, _finally_ letting her go.

When he was almost out the door, he heard Arya chuckle and say, "Remember, caution and restraint goes a long way."

"Same goes for you, little wolf," he said, a grin splitting on his face.

With that, he closed the door and left.

* * *

"So, Loras," Robert said as they had a scrumptious lunch by the beach. "What can we do while here? Anything you could recommend?"

Loras took a drink of his fresh mango juice before answering his boyfriend's older brother. "Well, we can have a spa session here. We have the best massage therapists, you'll all be feeling so pampered you'd never want to leave!" he added with a laugh.

Everyone groaned in delight at the idea of getting massages. Loras continued with his recommendations. "We can also go scuba diving, snorkeling, take the yacht out, windsurf, jet ski, play golf," he pointed to Robert. "We have a golf course not far from here. You'll love it."

"Looking forward to it!" Robert said with glee. He turned to Cersei and asked, "What would you like to do, my sweet?"

"For now, let's just laze around or go swimming at the beach. Sunbathing? Arya?" Cersei said with an excited look at Arya.

"Exactly what I was thinking!" Arya responded with a laugh.

"We could all have that massage tonight, like some kind of perfect ending to a perfect day," Cersei added.

"Excellent food as usual, Chef Baelish!" Robert said with a dramatic clap of his hands. They all turned to the chef and gave thumbs up signs and words of approval.

Chef Baelish took a small bow, obviously as dramatic as Robert, and expressed his gratitude. "It is my pleasure to serve you all."

"Ugh, you pamper us with great food," Cersei said as she leaned back on her chair and rubbed her flat tummy. "I wonder how full I would be tomorrow when my actual birthday dinner is served! I'll be mother to Hot Pie soon, if you don't stop feeding me amazingly delicious food!"

Everyone laughed at the mention of Hot Pie.

"Come on, my little wolf," she said, gently pulling Arya out of her chair. "Let's get ready to don our sexy swimsuits and sunbathe."

Before they left, Arya saw Gendry's face light up at the mention of _sexy swimsuits_.

"You know," Cersei said as they walked towards the room at the furthest part of the second floor. "My son is obviously wrapped around your little finger." She laughed as she led Arya inside the large master's bedroom, as the latter took a quick study of her surroundings. Like the rest of the house, the master's is beautifully and comfortably designed and decorated. Arya took a seat on the edge of the bed as she watched Cersei rummage through her suitcase in search of her swimsuit.

"Nah," Arya said with a slump of her shoulders. "I'm not _that_ powerful to get him wrapped around my finger."

Cersei gave a triumphant _"Ta-dah!"_ as she held up the red two piece in her hands. The red material had accents of gold which Arya knew would compliment wonderfully to Cersei's beautiful skin. Arya continued to study her as she took out her bag of toiletries in search of her sunblock and a few other necessities.

"Don't underestimate yourself, Arya," Cersei said as she pointed the bottle of sunblock to the young girl. "I've seen the girls my son has dated in the past and no one holds a candle to you, my little wolf. Not even that Jeyne Heddle," she adds with a crinkle of her nose.

Arya didn't know how to respond to the compliment so she said nothing and resumed watching her.

"Gendry's a good boy, Arya. I hope you don't doubt that. I've never seen him this whipped since forever," she said as she placed a soft kiss on Arya's cheek. "Now, surprise me with your swimsuits!"

* * *

Gendry woke up from his nap with a throbbing head. He was hot and irritated upon learning that the guys took the largest room in the house. He would have loved the size of it, if only it didn't have five beds all around the room. He would have to share the room with Arya's brothers and cousin, which means he will not have _any_ alone time with her, especially because it meant losing the chance to make out with her after everyone has gone to bed, as is their usual routine. He was grumpy since lunch time, much to the delight of Robb and Theon, especially Jon. Gendry knew that they planned this all along; him not getting _any_ in the duration of their trip.

He looked around and saw that he was the only one in the room. As if on cue, he heard the laughter of the Starks, Theon and his brothers. _Hell_, he thought, _even Tommen gets his own room. _He got out of bed, padded to the bathroom to splash water on his face to help wake him up. He padded back to the room to poke around his suitcase for his board shorts, until he found the black and gray one. He shed his shirt and shorts, put the board shorts on and walked out of the room shirtless, stopping only to grab a towel from the rack before finally stepping out.

He found the guys playing a little game of Frisbee, while his mom and Arya were lying face down on their towels placed strategically on the sand away from the ongoing game. He tried to sneak a closer look at Arya when he got knocked down by Robb, who was running after the Frisbee that Jon threw.

"The fuck, Robb!" he snapped angrily, rubbing his shoulder as he quickly got up on his feet.

"The fuck too, bro! You're smack in the middle of a game because you're gawking at my sister again!" Robb shot back as he got up too.

Gendry dusted sand off his shorts as he mumbled, "I wasn't gawking at your sister. I was looking for my dad and my uncle."

"They went to play golf with Loras," Robb explained as they walked back to Joff, Theon, Jon and Tommen. "Do you want to play with us, or do you prefer a boring game of golf with your father, his sparkly brother and his equally sparkly boyfriend?"

"Don't be mean," Gendry exclaimed with a slight anger to his voice.

"I wasn't being mean! It was a joke! You do know what a joke is, right? Or are you too busy being grumpy to even recognize one?" Robb said, placing his hands on his hips. "Bro, I know it's hard with us breathing down your neck all the time. But maybe you could try keeping your hands to yourself and most especially your cock in your pants. At least until you're alone?"

Gendry looked at Robb and knew he was right. He was being a downright horny prat who's been wearing his heart on his sleeves lately and his cock _almost_ out of his pants.

_Totally whipped._

"Oi! What's holding up the game?" Jon called out from the other side.

Gendry grabbed the Frisbee from Robb and tossed it over to Jon. "Watch your head, Stark!"

* * *

That night, Loras and Renly introduced several massage therapists to the group for the spa session. There were eight girls in all, but Arya noticed three who stood out from the group for their pretty faces. Loras introduced them as _Doreah, Irri _and _Jhiqui. _Everyone will be getting massages, except for Tommen, who happily stayed inside to Skype with his new friends, Bran and Rickon.

Arya noticed that the guys were staring openly at the girls. Yes, even her boyfriend.

Arya seethed inside when she saw Doreah smiling at Gendry, and noticed that he was smiling back. When it was time to prepare for the session, Doreah immediately crossed over to take Gendry by the hand and lead him towards the closed tents set up by the pool area specifically for this purpose. Without even a backward glance at her, Gendry let himself be led inside, along with Robb, Jon, Joffrey and Theon, who looked equally happy at the impending session.

"Come now, Miss Arya," the therapist named _Osha_ said as she led her towards hers and Cersei's tent. "The session must begin."

Ten minutes into the massage, Osha paused for a while and said in a soft voice, "You seem very tense, Miss Arya."

"Arya," she responded.

"I'm sorry?" Osha asked, clearly befuddled.

"Just call me Arya, please. _Miss Arya_ sounds too formal," she explained.

"Lover's quarrel?" Osha said, chuckling softly.

"I'm sorry?" It was Arya's turn to be baffled by the statement.

Osha started kneading the tensed muscles on her shoulders and down to her back. Arya moaned at the feeling of her hands breaking down the tensed muscles and tissues. "I asked if you and that young man named Gendry has had a lover's quarrel."

"How'd you know we're together?" Arya asked curiously.

"I told you, little wolf," Cersei's muffled voice said from the other bed. "You both do not know the meaning of _discreet_."

_Okay, wow. My words to Gendry come back like a slap to my face._

"No, we're not in a fight," Arya answered Osha's question.

"Hmm…so it must be Doreah, then?" Osha retorted.

Arya's back instantly tensed.

"I see," Osha chuckled lightly as she continued massaging the tension out of Arya's body. "Doreah is a little flirt…"

"Osha!" Cersei's therapist hissed. "Don't be rude!"

"I meant no disrespect, Arya. I'm just saying that Doreah can be a little flirt. But if that boyfriend of yours is strong to resist temptation, then you have nothing to worry about."

'That boyfriend of hers is my son," Cersei mumbled.

Arya laughed. "I like you, Osha. You're my new best friend!"

"I'm hurt," Cersei joked as she turned to lie on her back. "Remember, I was the one who gave birth to that guy you call boyfriend."

* * *

"You seem tense," Doreah said as she kneaded the tension away from Gendry's shoulders and back. "Everything in you is so…"

The guys started snickering.

"…hard."

Doreah finished with a teasing tone, and if Gendry wasn't _that_ tensed earlier, he definitely is now. Her hands started massaging his lower back up to the top of his buttocks. If Gendry would admit it, her touch felt heavenly. She alternated between long and hard strokes to soft and fleeting, kneading at the tensed muscles until the stiffness went away. When her hands went to the back of his thighs and down to his legs, he couldn't help elicit a moan. His gym work out has been brutal and so the massage was definitely doing wonders to his sore body.

"Mm-hmm," Doreah hummed softly. "Let all the tension dissipate. _I _can make all the stress disappear, if you'll let me…" she whispered in his ear. He thinks he feels the light touch of lips and tongue on his earlobe, although he wasn't too sure.

Suddenly, her hands were on his ass, giving a tight little squeeze and Gendry just jumped out of the massage bed.

"Hoo-kay, then," Gendry said as he wrapped the towel around his hips. The guys suddenly looked up and stared at him with a confused expression. He felt a warm flush from his ears to his neck, and the only thing he wanted to do was to get out of the tent and find Arya. "I, uh, have to go. It's been a great massage, but I have something I need to do. So thanks!"

Doreah stood there with a surprised expression on her face. The others just waved him off and went back to settling on the massage beds, paying Gendry no mind until he completely disappeared from the tent. Doreah seemed annoyed and offended, but she gathered her things anyway and left the tent in a huff, telling her companions that she would be staying in their assigned room until they come back from their tasks.

* * *

Arya and Cersei were laughing as they walked out of the tent, along with the two massage therapists assigned to them. They seemed to be in high spirits, but they stopped when they saw Gendry sitting on one of the lounge chairs, seemingly waiting for Arya to come out. He immediately stood when Cersei gave him a little smile, signaling to the girls and took their leave. Arya walked towards him with a concerned look on her face.

"Hey," she said, pulling her fluffy white robe closer together. She was wearing her underwear and nothing else, so she was careful not to let anything _peek_ from within. "Are you done? How'd it go?"

"Well," Gendry said as he walked closer to her. "I usually enjoy massages, but not when the masseuse is trying to hit on me."

Arya laughed. "Really? And you left before she could get on the massage bed with you?"

Gendry laughed too. "She was bordering on creepy already! When she squeezed my ass…"

"She what?!" Arya sputtered.

"Quiet!" he said with a laugh. "She damn squeezed my ass! But I ran out as fast as I could!"

"You did?" Arya teased, edging closer and closer still.

"Mm-hmm…" he hummed in answer as he nodded, then gently tugging her to him until their lips were only inches apart. "I've been a good boy. What's my reward?"

"Well…" she pressed her lips to his in a quick kiss. She laughed when he pouted in disappointment, leaning towards her for more kisses. "I do have something in mind. Meet me out here at midnight."

Gendry watched as she sauntered slowly back inside, deliberately teasing his senses with a seductive sway of her hips. She paused at the doorway, turning her head to look at him, a glint of mischief twinkling in her eyes.

For Gendry, midnight couldn't come sooner.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: SMUT. Don't read if you're not into this. Because the chapter is basically just smut. Haha. **

**Thanks for reading my other story too. And especially this one, because I didn't know I'd reach more than 100 reviews in so short a time. THANK YOU!**

**Okay, smut monsters. Read on :D**

* * *

"Shut up! You're making too much noise!"

Arya turned to Gendry, who was following her down the stairs for that midnight rendezvous. Although it was far from midnight, since the guys took another hour before they finally settled in bed.

"Can't you make your steps a little softer? If these steps could talk, they'd actually be screaming your name right now," Arya elbowed him in the ribs, making him stop and bend over in slight pain.

Arya rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a drama queen! Hustle! Hustle!"

"Are we going to a boot camp?"

"Ssshh!"

"_You're_ the one making hissing noises now, be quiet!"

Arya didn't bother to answer and just tiptoed back up the stairs. When Gendry realized she was leaving him to go back to bed, he quickly grabbed her by the waist and carried her all the way down the stairs.

"Are you fucking insane? You could have dropped me there!" Arya growled low in her throat, reminding Gendry of Nymeria back home.

It seemed like they were going back and forth with this argument, so Gendry just grabbed her hand and led her out into the back door and into the pool area.

"Feel like taking a little swim?" Gendry asked as they stood at the edge of the pool.

"What? It's 1 am!" she answered with a hint of surprise in her tone.

It was his turn to give her the eye roll. "You're no fun sometimes. We don't need swimsuits to go swimming."

Arya pulled her hand free from his. "I'm not going in the pool in my birthday suit!"

"I didn't say that!" Gendry replied quickly, before tilting his head as if in thought. "But that would be great, wouldn't it?"

"I'm not doing it!"

"You say that now," he chuckled. "Wait till you get your hands on my freakishly outstanding body."

Arya felt a warm flush creep from the roots of her hair down to her neck. "You arrogant bastard."

Gendry laughed, and Arya had to cover his mouth with her hand. "What? I'm not a bastard!"

"Yeah, but arrogant nonetheless," she replied. "Come on then!"

They walked towards the far end of the pool; where they would not be seen from inside the house and their noise would be a bit muffled. Arya chose the pool instead of going to the beach because their rooms have a perfect view of the sand and the ocean. The pool, on the other hand, was in the back part of the house and if they do not turn the lights on, it would be dark, save for the moon's reflection on the water.

Arya started taking her shorts and shirt off, leaving her bra and panties on. She turned around to see Gendry standing there, staring at her with a stupid expression on his face. "What are you standing there for? Go on and strip!"

"Wow. You're one for sexy foreplay."

"I'm getting in the water, with or without you!"

And she did just that. Arya quietly slipped into the water, careful not to make a splashing sound just to make sure they won't be seen or heard from inside. She sneaked a peek at Gendry before turning her back to him, but she saw that he was taking his shirt off as quickly as he could but leaving his shorts on. He slipped into the water as quietly as she did, then walked towards her with a smirk on his face.

The water was warm, thank god for a heater system. It was not so deep at this end; Gendry could still stand and the water only went as far as his neck. Arya, on the other hand, had to grab the sides if she wanted her head to stay out of the water. She tried to hold her breath and go under the water, holding on to the gutter as she tried to feel the bottom tiles. Turns out it was deeper than she thought that she ended up sputtering once she reached the surface.

"What are you doing?" Gendry asked as he took her arms and placed it around his neck.

"I was just checking how deep it was!" she said, still going on with her coughing fit. When she finally calmed down, she whispered "thanks" to him and gave a soft laugh.

"Hi," he whispered as he looked into her eyes.

_Crazy beautiful eyes_.

She smiled shyly, whispering "Hi yourself."

He walked them towards the edge of the pool, making Arya lean back onto the side for a little support. Her arms were still entangled with his, her thighs and legs were wrapped around his waist. His hands were on her thighs to keep her steady, and he could feel her clench them at his waist when she thought she would slip.

He groaned at the double sensation of feeling her legs and ankles tighten their hold on his waist, her ankles pushing tighter into the back of his ass. At the same time, the feeling of her soft center right onto his cock stirred it into alertness. He knows Arya felt it too because she froze for a moment before laughing.

"Exactly how horny are you to react so easily to that?" she teased, making Gendry put his hand over her mouth to silence her.

"Shut up!"

"How original," she chuckled.

She decided to tease him some more by grinding her hips to him a little more, watching him as he closed his eyes and cursing under his breath. "Stop that," he mumbled. "Or I'll kiss you."

Arya smirked as she did it again.

This time, Gendry ground his lips to hers in a fiery kiss; none of the usual soft, sweet kisses they love. Maybe because Gendry was partly annoyed, partly frustrated, partly exhilarated with what they were doing, and he knew that if she kept that up, they'd be going at it like the first dry humping moment back in his room.

But they were in the pool and it couldn't be _dry _humping, couldn't it?

He felt her lips open to his probing tongue, meeting it with a flick and stroke of hers, swirling and sucking and dancing inside her mouth and hers in his. Gendry could almost say the water just magically turned charged; as if it was fizzing with electrical currents and they were feeling it from their head down to their toes. His mouth slanting over hers, lips sucking and nipping, a few little bites on her lower lip as he tugged on it gently with his teeth, and a lot of wet licks to soothe the bites. He heard Arya gasp before turning her head to the other direction and going back to meeting his lips for more kisses.

He tightened his hold on her thighs when she leaned her head back, giving him complete access to her long, slender neck. He trailed more kisses down the length of her neck, pausing to place a few soft nips here and there, before resuming its descent towards her collarbone. When he reached the top of her breasts, he hitched her higher up his waist so he could get more access to the top of her breasts. For now, he kept her bra on so as not to scare her. She is a virgin, after all, and he wanted her to be sure before they went further than this.

He drew back slightly, positioning her back to her previous position, before staring deeply into her eyes. They were glassy and out of focus, seemingly aroused beyond the point of recognition, and Gendry placed one hand on the back of her neck to make her focus on him.

"Arya, let's get out of here," he whispered, his voice sounding so hoarse even to his own ears.

She only nodded in response, but didn't let go of her grip on him. Gendry lifted her out of the water and onto the gutter before getting out of the water himself. Arya looked like she finally realized that they were out of the water, grabbed her shirt from the lounge chair and tried her best to dry herself before slipping her shirt and shorts back on. Gendry did the same, although he didn't do a good job of drying his shorts. She took his hand and led him back into the house, careful not to trail so much water on the hardwood floors. _It'll be dry in the morning_, she thought. She turned back to look at Gendry, who seem to be just following her lead, his face blank but his eyes were heavy-lidded. It was enough to let Arya know that he was as frustrated and aroused as she was.

Gendry surprised her on the way up the stairs because he made no sound at all; his steps were quiet and only their heavy breathing could be heard. When they reached the hallway, they stopped to listen by the guys' room and were relieved to hear the snores from inside. With a quick turn towards the other end of the hall, Arya pulled Gendry towards the direction of her room.

"Arya," he whispered before they went in. "Are you sure?"

Arya gave him another kiss before opening the door, making Gendry's breath hitch at the realization that _this is it_.

When Arya closed the door and locked it, their movements became faster but still unhurried, making sure that this first time wouldn't be something they would regret about come the morning. They wanted it to be as hot and fulfilling and blissful but at the same time beautiful and loving and sweet. He took the hem of her shirt and lifted it up and away from her body, leaving her in just her wet underwear and shorts. Arya did the same; lifting his clinging wet shirt and removing it from his body, then unbuttoning his shorts and pushing them down. When she looked up and her eyes came in contact with his fully aroused cock, he shook his head before she could give him head and pulled her towards the bed. She seemed puzzled by his refusal.

"I can't anymore," he whispered hoarsely. "If you take me into your mouth, I'm going to come immediately. And right now, I want to do it in you."

Arya shivered at the words.

Soon, they were a tangle of arms and legs and thighs on the large bed. Their mouths fused once more; a tangle of lips and tongues and the occasional clash of teeth. Nip, bite, lick, suck...on and on it went until Arya literally had to grab his head and plead _no more_ and _now_. When Gendry kissed her breasts, Arya's back arched so far off the bed that he was afraid she hurt herself. But she was clawing at his arms and shoulders, as if hanging on to him while he kissed and sucked on her nipples and the soft mound of flesh around it.

"Please…please…Gendry…please…" she pleaded when she couldn't take anymore.

She felt him finally open her thighs wide, positioning himself in between them.

"Wait…hang on," he whispered as he tried to reach for his discarded shorts.

"What?" she mumbled. "What are you doing?"

"Condom," he answered softly.

"No, don't," she said, grabbing his arm to pull him back to her. "I started the pill a few months ago."

Gendry would have prayed to all the angels and saints if he only didn't have more urgent things to do.

"Please, Gen…" she pleaded once more.

He slowly entered her, making sure that she was wet and ready before doing so. He was waiting for tears when he felt the barrier, but he only saw her flinch and wince a little before hearing soft gasps and moans from her, and Gendry didn't know if he could take any more.

"Gods, Arya…so…fucking…tight…" he growled with every stroke deeper.

When he felt her pull him in deeper with her legs, locking her ankles on his back and ass, he almost lost it. He pushed in and out…in and out…and she met him thrust for thrust…circling her hips and grinding them to his as deep as she could go. Gendry groaned from the sheer fullness of it all.

"Gen…Gen…oh gods…" she started chanting, and Gendry knew she was close. He was too.

He bent forward, the feel of going even deeper into her made him crazy with want to finish with a _bang_. Literally.

"Arya…fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" he said as he started to feel a tightness, but trying to fight it back until she felt herself coming.

"Coming! Coming! Coming!" she panted, and Gendry held her closer as he continued to pump in and out of her.

He put his lips near her ear and growled, "Let it go, Ar."

And they both did. Arya's back splintered off the mattress, clinging to Gendry as if he were her lifeline. He raised his head to look at her, seeing that her eyes were shut tight and her mouth was forming an "O" even as throaty whimpers came out. He took her with him, holding her tighter than ever and kissing her mouth as they rode out their climax.

"Oh Jesus…" she whispered.

He laughed softly. "No. Just Gendry."

She laughed too. She let him take her with him as he shifted to his back and she was on her side and entangled within his embrace. When heartbeats were back to normal and the sweat cooling on their flushed skin, Gendry reached over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He was looking at her weirdly; like he just discovered something that he'd always known but didn't have the courage to say aloud.

"I love you," he whispered as he stared into her crazy beautiful eyes.

She smiled that beautiful smile of hers and whispered back, "And I love you."


	20. Chapter 20

Arya woke up with sunlight streaming across the bedroom. She opened one eye, squinting at the clock on the wall. She bolted upright when she saw that the big hand was in 6 and the small hand was in…

_Oh my effing god! It's 10:30 in the morning?!_

She tried scooting to the edge of the bed but she winced at the pain she felt below. She felt sore, considering she and Gendry went as far as round 2 before he finally crept back to his room at 4 am. A smile slowly crept across her face when she thought of Gendry and his amazing _skills_; a warmth flushing through her as she recalled how he loved her with eager lips and tongue, and skilled hands and nimble fingers. She could still feel his mouth as he sucked on her breasts, his hands as he clutched her thighs, the silky smooth hardness of his cock as it pumped in and out and around her.

_Shit! I could get addicted to this…to him…_

She took a couple of deep breaths before trying to get out of bed again and successfully making it out this time. She took slow steps towards the bathroom, still wincing at the soreness she feels. Avoiding looking at the mirror, she went directly to the shower and set it at the hottest she could handle. The hot water did wonders to her sore muscles. She felt a bit more relaxed; loving the feel of the water as it cascaded down her shoulders and back. She twisted her head and neck gently until she heard a _crack_ before bracing her palms on the wall and just let the water soothe her once more.

After her shower, she stepped into a green-colored swimsuit; a push-up halter top and a double string bottom Cersei bought for her during one of their shopping sprees. Donning some shorts and a tank over her suit, she decided that she'd been holed up in her room for almost half day already and just walked down to find the others. She ran into Tommen on her way to the kitchen, where he'd just been to devour a hearty breakfast. He told her that the others are out there having a little surfing competition, but she knew her brothers and cousin are probably just wading in the water as opposed to actually surfing. They were men of the North and are used to the cold, Northern winters perfect for skiing and snowboarding, water sports were most likely a Baratheon expertise. She wondered if Gendry knew how to surf.

The kitchen was empty, and for a minute, she found the silence a little calming. Taking this opportunity to eat her late breakfast - or brunch, actually - in peace, she ate some heavenly-tasting waffles, crispy bacon and some fruit on the side. She'd been ignoring going to the gym since she'd been to King's Landing, and maybe she should let the guys take her with them the next time they go in for their work out. _Drogo's_, as they say, was better than their old gym, and the instructors were more capable and credible. _"You'd have to learn how to talk some jibberish, though" _ Jon once told her, as they explained that the owner is a foreigner only knows _"Drogo, very good? Yes?"_ in english.

When she couldn't hold off seeing the others any longer, she walked out of the house and found them at the beach, cheering some of the guys who were out in the water. Since it was just Cersei, Robert, Renly, Loras and Tommen out of the water, she squints into the sunlight and laughs when she sees Theon and Jon wiped out into the crashing waves. Joffrey and Rob were sitting on their boards and clapping their hands and laughing at Theon and Jon's expense. And then she found Gendry as he rode a huge wave; his perfect form meant this wasn't the first time he's done this. She walked closer to the water, holding a hand to shade her eyes from the sunlight so she could get a better look at him.

Everyone started hooting and cheering as he finally let go and jumped into the water after being on the board for the ride. He swam a few more strokes until his feet could touch the sandy bottom, before resorting to walking towards them the rest of the way. He was lugging the surfboard at his right, a smile plastering on his face when he saw her standing there, watching him with a half-surprised, half-amused expression. He jogged directly towards her, ignoring the others' teasing.

"I'd kiss you right now, but I'm pretty sure your brothers are watching my every move," he murmured close to her, a goofy grin showing on his face.

She peeked over his shoulder and found Jon and Robb looking in their direction. Arya laughed, making Gendry grin wider. "They don't look angry at all. Just…just watching."

Trying to ignore the fact that he was standing there shirtless, his skin wet from the water and bronzed by the sun, Arya tried to think of something to say but Gendry beat her to it.

"You okay? I didn't hurt you, did I? I mean, I probably did…no, wait. _I know _ I did, but I hope I didn't hurt you much?"

Arya just stared at him like he grew two heads.

Gendry's brows furrowed. "I'm babbling, am I?"

Arya laughed this time. "Yes. Yes, you're babbling and it sounds stupid."

They heard Renly clear his throat and they jumped at the interruption.

"Okay, lovebirds," Renly called out to them. "We've got a party tonight and there's still so much to do! No time for eye-fucking now…I'm sorry, Tommen...okay, come on! Hustle, hustle, work those muscles!"

* * *

"You're kidding, right?" Joffrey said incredulously as Gendry held out the infamous grass skirt. "I thought Uncle Renly said we're not doing luau this year!"

"Well," Jon said as he crossed his arms on his chest and leaned on the kitchen island. "Renly changed his mind. We're doing luau this year because…what were his exact words, Theon?"

"The ocean is a perfect backdrop to a luau. Let's go with luau! Chop! Chop!" Theon said in perfect imitation of Renly.

Everyone laughed except Joffrey, who looked like he was with a bad case of diarrhea. Arya took pity on him and said, "Don't worry, Joff. I'll take the extra grass skirt if that would make you feel better."

Joffrey didn't ease up on the scowl, though. Everyone gave a collective _"awwww"_ before Arya added, "But we have to wear it with coconut bikini tops for full effect."

The group erupted in laughter again until Joffrey stood and got ready to leave. He was genuinely annoyed at them right now and wanted to take a break from them. The guys were okay, but it was usually Joffrey who was the butt of jokes. And right now, he was feeling tired of it and he just wanted to stay away for a while.

"Joff! Hey," Arya said as she touched his arm to keep him from walking further. "Those guys can be dicks, you know. Don't mind them."

Joffrey glared at her. "You even suggested the coconut bikini top, Ar. That's like, Gendry kind of mean."

Arya laughed. "Your brother's not mean! Well, not since he was 11."

Joffrey sneered. "Whatever. You hang around him too much."

"You want me to hang around you more?" Arya asked with a raised brow. "He's my boyfriend. Of course we'll hang around each other all the time."

"What about when you go back to Winterfell? How would you guys go about that?" Joffrey asked with genuine interest.

The question gave Arya pause. They haven't talked that far ahead. It was a _take-it-one-day-at-a-time_ thing with Gendry, and right now, they're trying to make the most out of their time together.

Until the inevitable happens.

Shaking herself out of the stupor, she said with a softer tone, "Joff, I was thinking…how'd you want to surprise your brothers at the party tonight?"

Joffrey's eyes squinted. "What did you have in mind?"

"Just something that'll bring the spotlight on to you. Like, the good kind of spotlight," Arya replied with a grin splitting from ear to ear.

Joffrey took her arm and entwined it with his, leading Arya out into the beach and away from the others. "Let the planning commence. Chop! Chop!"

* * *

The beachfront looked amazing.

Everyone did a great job with the décor and lighting, although the artistic talents were more from Arya, Renly and Gendry (whom Arya discovered has an extraordinary talent in the arts), the others provided the muscle and helped carry the dinner and buffet tables and chairs, set up the lighting and whatever else that needed to be carried or installed. Loras had a small stage and sound system installed on the side, making everyone curious and equally nervous about why there was even a stage set up.

Robert called Renly to say that they were on their way back from Cersei's pampering session at a local salon right in the middle of town, which was about half an hour's drive back to their place. Everyone hustled twice as fast, even if everything seemed to be in place.

Arya looked around the setting; hibiscus blossoms, orchids and palm fronds decorated the area; colored paper lanterns were hanging all around to provide brightness in the place. It brought about a festive mood to the whole party, and they all started feeling especially excited and anxious for Cersei's reaction.

"Niiiiice…" Gendry whistled in appreciation as Arya stepped out wearing a cute little yellow and white floral dress and a white lei around her neck. Her long hair was loosely tied at the nape, and a single, pretty white orchid became a hair accent.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. She helped fix his blue and yellow Hawaiian shirt; a similar design as the others except that it they differed in colors. Now that she thinks about it, Loras and Renly must have planned a luau after all, since they appear to be ready with all the party preps. "You're looking mighty dapper yourself."

"As always," he grinned.

"You're so humble," she teased. "Kiss me," she ordered as she pulled him closer to her by the collar.

"Do you want me to get killed? Your brothers are out here with us," he slightly argued, although Arya thinks he's close to doing it anyway.

"I don't care. Kiss me."

"I heard that," muttered Robb as he passed by them to carry the microphone stand over to the stage. "Just try, Baratheon. Or I'll…"

"Shut up, Robb. You're not _the _Eddard Stark," she said before turning back to Gendry. "Kiss me, stupid. I know you don't really need convincing."

And Gendry _did_ kiss her, but he kept it soft and sweet and long enough until they heard Jon call out, _"Three…two…don't make me count till one… "_ before Gendry pulled back. Arya was grinning widely and so was he, much to Robb and Jon's chagrin.

"Mom and Dad are pulling up in the driveway!" Tommen ran out to announce it to everyone, and they started rushing about making last minute touches. Chef Baelish and his staff were ready with the food, the lights and décor were in place, the sound system playing some cool beach party tunes.

As soon as Cersei stepped out to greet them, everyone started singing her a slightly off-tune birthday song. She started laughing and crying at the same time, and clapping her hands like a little girl when she saw how the place was set up.

"Oh my goodness! This is beautiful!" she gushed, as everyone gave her hugs and birthday greetings. "You all did this?"

All heads nod enthusiastically. Cersei teared up a few times until her sons pleaded for the tears to stop. The guys started chanting for _Food! Food!_ until the buffet table was announced ready to serve.

"So," Renly called out as everyone settled down to eat. "I'd like to propose a toast to my beautiful sister-in-law, whose beauty only surpasses mine by a few facial peeling sessions at the dermatologist."

Everyone laughed, including Cersei, even as she adamantly denied getting any treatment done. Renly raised his glass and called out a toast. "To Queen Cersei!"

"To Queen Cersei!"

* * *

"I'm going to hell," Robb groaned as he took a seat beside Tommen. He looked to the other table and saw that Cersei, Robert, Renly, Loras and Chef Baelish were talking over wine, enjoying the late hours into the party.

"What for?" Tommen asked, as he bit the last shrimp from the skewer.

"Gluttony," Robb answered.

"Me too," said Theon. "I've never eaten this much since Thanksgiving at Winterfell."

"Where's Arya?" asked Gendry, who was fidgeting in his seat as he searched for any sign of her.

"Where's Joff?" Tommen asked when he noticed that he was missing to.

"Ouch," Theon said to Gendry. "Little brother's M.I.A., and so is big brother's girlfriend."

"Shut up," Gendry laughed. "My brother? Totally not her type."

"Really now? I don't even think she has a type," Theon teased, earning him a playful punch on the arm from Gendry.

"Ahem."

Everyone looked around to see Arya standing on the small stage, tapping the microphone to check if it was working. Joffrey went up on stage too, carrying a stool in one hand and a guitar in the other.

"Hi! Sorry to cut your chit-chats for a bit, but I just want to say happy birthday to Queen Cersei, make up and fashion guru, cool mommah and businesswoman extraordinaire."

Everyone called out in agreement, much to the delight of the birthday celebrant.

"I guess everyone's wondering what our business on stage is," Arya continued, pointing to herself and Joffrey as she spoke. "We have a little surprise for the birthday girl, and I'm guessing everyone will be surprised too. I heard this one's your favorite, my Queen."

Rob and Jon's faces beamed proudly as they realized what Arya was about to do. They leaned back on their seats and fist-bumped each other, leaving the others even more confused.

"What's happening?" Gendry asked, leaning towards Jon.

Jon smirked. "You'll see."

Then Joffrey started plucking the strings of his guitar, indicating the intro to a song so familiar to everyone. Everyone listened to the sounds of the guitar strings as it squeaked and hummed and _ting-_ed under Joffrey's fingers, accompanied only by the soft hum of the night breeze, the swishing of the leaves as the breeze touched the trees, and the soft crashing of the ocean waves towards the shore. Joffrey had their complete attention, that was, until Arya started to sing.

_Holy. Shit._

Gendry was dumbstruck. Arya's voice was soft and sweet and so right on the melody that he found it sort of hypnotizing. He looked at the others and realized that he wasn't the only one who found it to be so. She had their eyes and their ears under her spell; as if her voice pulled them in and led them to float away with her to some kind of enchanted place. Gendry had to literally close his mouth after his initial shock, before turning to look at Robb, Jon and Theon, who looked mildly amused at everyone's reaction.

"She sings like an angel, doesn't she?" Jon nudged his side to get his attention.

Gendry could only nod.

_Blackbird fly…blackbird fly…_

_Into the light of the dark black night…_

_Blackbird fly…blackbird fly…_

_Into the light of the dark black night…_

The guitar was the accompaniment to her voice. The squeak of the strings and the mellow melody was all that was needed to make Arya's voice stand out. They complemented each other, as if the sky was sucking the sound of Joffrey's strings and Arya's soft, soothing voice and pulling them up to disappear along with the night air.

_All your life…_

_You were only waiting for this moment to arise…_

_You were only waiting for this moment to arise…_

_You were only waiting for this moment to arise…_

The song ended but everyone remained silent. Arya and Joffrey looked at each other warily, trying to figure out if they killed the song - the good kind of kill or the bad kind. They would have just walked off the stage and bury their heads in the sand until Cersei walked up to them and gave them each a tight hug. Just then, everyone started clapping and shouting out their approval and both Arya and Joffrey felt slightly embarrassed by the attention.

"Was that okay?" Arya asked as she walked back to where Gendry was, pulling the empty chair beside him and tried to sit on it, but Gendry tugged her to him and onto his lap.

"Are you kidding me? That was amazingly, astoundingly beautiful. Like you," he answered.

"Shut up…" she mumbled, blushing once more.

They stared at each other for a while before Gendry held her head in both his hands and pulled her in for a kiss. He kept it soft and sweet, but that didn't mean he didn't feel a familiar stirring inside him that made Arya pinch his shoulder.

"Gen…" she whispered. "Not here…"

"Ahem."

They turned to see Jon staring at them with raised brows. "In public? Really?"

"If you don't stop watching over me and your sister the whole fucking time, you're going to end up old and wrinkly and a so very lonely man who missed his chance to meet girls because he was too busy playing personal bodyguard," Gendry pointed out.

"He's got a point, bro," said an amused Robb.

Jon rolled his eyes. "Shut it! I wasn't talking to you." He turned back to Gendry and Arya, pulling them apart. He took his chair, placed it in between them and sat on it. "Okay, let's go! Let's save room for Jesus! Chop! Chop!"

"I hate you," Arya whined, although she was trying to keep herself from laughing.

"No, you don't," replied Jon. He started waving his hands to indicate an invisible line between the two and continued, "Okay, we want room for Jesus right here. He has to be in between, come on people!"

"So annoying!" Arya laughed along with everyone, even if Gendry didn't find anything amusing.

"Jon Stark," Theon said. "Tonight's designated cockblocker!"

"That's right! We're blocking cocks right now because it's going towards the direction of my little sister!" Jon exclaimed enthusiastically.

* * *

**A/N: Come on, guys. It can't be smut all the time, you know. There has to be cheese, too :)**

**I didn't know what song to use, and Blackbird is one of my favorites by The Beatles. But I came across a cover on YouTube by Natalie Ramsay, and she did an amazing cover.**

**I'm super stoked that this story's getting more and more follows and favorites. Thank you for the reviews, especially those who have been with me since the 1st chapter and keep sending those reviews. It helps when I write, since I consider your suggestions too. Keep those reviews coming please :***


	21. Chapter 21

"Guys, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Gendry knocked on Jon's bedroom door, sticking his head in a little upon seeing that it was ajar. They have just returned that evening from Highgarden. Fortunately for Gendry, Robb was in Jon's room too, although he doesn't know if he could consider it as fortunate or unfortunate for him.

"Do we need to be alarmed about anything, bro?" asked Robb, whose brows went up as high as his hairline.

"No! No! I just…" Gendry shook both his head and hands. "I just wanted to talk to you about…um…Arya?"

"Do we need to be alarmed about _anything_?" Robb repeated, putting a stress on the word.

"I just wanted to say something, alright?" Gendry sighed.

It was a few minutes before the brothers responded with a wave of their hand. Jon signaled for him to take the desk chair while both brothers sat on the edge of Jon's bed.

"What about our sister?" Jon asked.

Gendry knew he had to do this right; he had to choose his words and think about how they would react if he were in their place, otherwise his desire to finally make them see that his intentions towards their sister is purely driven by love and not in any way a fleeting thing, will all be for nothing.

"I know you both love your sister and I know you only want what's best for her," he said, leaning forward on the seat to place his arms on his thighs and threading his fingers together. "But I love her, too. Maybe you feel it's not enough and not as much as her family loves here. Or…or that I'm not worthy of your sister," he continued in earnest. "But I guess being her older brothers, no one would ever be good enough for her."

Robb and Jon kept silent as Gendry made his little speech. It was silent in the room except for Gendry, and he felt the pressure to say the right thing more and more. He didn't know if he was getting through them both, but he was determined to get this little speech done tonight or else his relationship with Arya would forever involve hiding and sneaking, and Gendry was growing tired of this.

"I love her, I really do," he said with a renewed determination. "I love her and I accept her, flaws and all. I want to be with her even when you threaten me with your pets. I want to be the one to make her laugh when she's having a shitty day and I want to be the one who makes her tear her eyes out because of frustration. I love your sister and she loves me and I am asking you both to please…_please_…give me this chance to make her truly and utterly happy. _Please, Robb…Jon…_" Gendry realized that he was pleading, but he didn't care. This was his only chance to make them see that they didn't need to play the overprotective, overcautious, overbearing older brothers.

He's only hoping that Robb and Jon would listen to his little speech or else his effort would go down the drain.

It was Robb who reacted first. He held out his hand for Gendry to take as a handshake. "I've known for a while that this is something different. I mean, I've seen the girls you dated, bro. I just wanted to be sure that my sister wouldn't be classified as one of _those_ girls who seem to be concerned only with her hair and nails and clothes and shoes. Arya isn't like any one of those, Gen. I understand now that you _do_ know that she's not one of _them_."

Gendry took his offered hand and shook it firmly. He breathed a sigh of relief, "I appreciate you entrusting her to me."

"Whoa, Shakespeare," Robb said with both his hands raised. "_Entrusting her to _you? I hope this isn't some sort of marriage proposal or something."

Gendry laughed. "No! No! I just wanted to say…"

"I know what you wanted to say," Jon replied with an eye roll. After several minutes, he finally took Gendry's hand and shook it just as Robb did. "Take care of her. You still remember Ghost hasn't exactly warmed up to you."

"Yeah, yeah," Gendry said in exasperation. "I know how this goes. _'If you hurt her, I'll sic Grey Wind, Ghost, Lady, Nymeria, Summer and Shaggydog on you…' _and all that wolf shit warning. It's getting a bit old, you dicks. You might have something else to torture me with."

Robb crossed his arms over his chest and braced his feet apart like some kind of cocky stance. "Well, I hope you know that our father is knowledgeable in the art of sword fighting and has even trained in the Japanese Sword Arts. He has an _Iaito _he fondly calls _Kenshin_ and a broadsword he calls _Ice_."

"Fine," Gendry said in a huff. "_That _is something new. Thanks for sharing that."

Robb and Jon grinned in satisfaction. The former patted Gendry's back on their way out of Jon's room. "Come on, Baratheon. Time to get the rest of the stuff from the car."

* * *

"They told you that?" Arya asked with a laugh. "Aw, my poor baby! I'm glad that my brothers didn't give you a heart attack, though."

Gendry responded by pulling her closer to him until there was not even an inch between them. They were lying on Gendry's bed at 1 a.m., right when everyone was already off to dreamland. The house was so quiet you could hear every bump and crash, which is why it was Arya who chose to sneak into Gendry's room. He still had to work on his stealth skills, since he could try being silent when sneaking into her room but end up being able to wake the dead.

Arya hummed in contentment when he held her even tighter in his embrace. They had been doing this for a few months now, sneaking into each other's rooms just to make out, but this was the first time alone together since the night they made love. It was exhilarating and dangerous and exciting, but they knew that one day soon, her brothers would eventually find out. Before that time comes, they would have to keep it low if they would ever want to find time alone.

"Hmm…you smell soooo good..." Gendry mumbled as he nuzzled her long, white flawless neck. Arya gasped as he found her pulse points, grabbing onto his shoulders as he levered himself on the bed with arms and elbows to move to a better position on top of her.

"Gendry…" she gasped as he started sucking on her collarbone. She tried to pull his head back but he kept on sucking on the skin. "Gendry Baratheon," she said, a little louder this time. "Don't you dare leave marks or I swear you're not getting _any_ from me."

"Spoil sport," he mumbled as he shifted to place kisses from her jaw and up to her temples instead.

"Kiss me," she hissed. "Properly, this time."

Gendry smiled as he placed soft pecks on her lips, making her growl a little in frustration, before getting to kiss her properly. When he finally did, slanting his mouth over hers again and again, she sighed. And when he brushed his tongue over her lips, seeking entrance, she sighed again and opened her mouth to let him in deeper. The kiss was anything but carnal. It was as if they were hungry for something they didn't know what and yearning for something they didn't know how to get.

"Arya, slow…" Gendry said as he tried to pull back from the kissing. He feels everything was going too fast, and tonight, he just wanted to savor every free moment he had with her.

"No time for slow…" she whispered. For Arya, there would be more time for _slow_ but tonight, she wanted it _fast_. "Please, Gen…"

Gendry must have groaned in frustration because he heard Arya give a soft chuckle when she entwined her arms around his back, feeling the soft crush of her breasts on his chest. The kiss went on and on until Gendry said that there were too many clothes between them. Arya laughed softly as clothes went flying to the floor, playfully smacking his arm when he almost ripped her shorts as he dragged them down her legs.

"Careful, now. I don't want to explain to anyone how I ripped those."

"Sshh. Stop talking," he said in a rush.

His lips met hers again, slanting over hers, his tongue dancing in and out and around with hers. His hands were freely roaming down her sides, grunting in approval when one of her legs shifted to curl around his waist. This only made her closer to his arousal, and Gendry groaned in frustration once more. His hands moved lower and onto her ass, pulling her harder to him and making her know how hard he is now for her. From his shoulders, her long, slender fingers found its way up the back of his head to thread into his hair.

"Shit, Arya…" Gendry muttered as he pulled away from her lips, seeing that they were now red and plump and swollen from his kisses. Her eyes were in a daze as they stared into his, conveying much more than what her lips could say. He felt himself drowning in them, and he was sure he would had he not been holding onto her in a tight embrace.

"Now, Gen…" she murmured as she dropped her leg from his waist and open them wider for him. She heard him groan, a low, throaty sound that vibrated right from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes.

With a hiss, his cock slid into hers, throwing his head back in pleasure as he let himself slide deeper and deeper still. He could feel her impatiently move her hips, but he wanted to just ingrain in his mind how good she feels surrounding him and how hot and tight it was for him. He dug his fingers into her hips a little, just enough to get her to stop moving for a while, until she threw her head back in frustration.

"I hate you," she growled low in her throat, earning a little chuckle from him. "Move, stupid!"

"Be patient," he chuckled. "I just want to feel how hot and tight you are down there…"

Arya pinched his arm. "Then stop talking like that if you want me to be patient!"

Gendry leaned closer, making his cock slide deeper into her still, earning another groan from both of them this time. He tried to fight the urge to thrust, just for a while, and stared into her grays.

"I promise, I'll make it worth the wait," he whispered.

Arya's breath hitched in her throat as she stared back at him. She felt delirious with the wait; holding his gaze in hers and letting herself drown into their warmest blue, reminding her of the ocean at Highgarden. For a while, she was in a trance until she felt him finally withdraw before thrusting back with a frustrating slowness that is making Arya crazy.

"Fuck," Gendry groaned as his thrusts turned hard and fast; faster and faster and deeper still until he had to close his eyes from the sheer carnality of it. Arya's hips met his thrust for thrust, her hands grabbing on to his back to keep her anchored to him. "Fuck, Arya…"

His thrusts slowing for a bit but not letting go of the connection, he shifted to sit on the mattress and pulled her to his lap. They groaned in unison at the feeling of getting deeper into her, this new position giving them an even better feeling of connection. He braced his arms around her back, pulling her closer still and guiding her movements. As if on instinct, she started moving up and down his lap; an insanely intense feeling shooting straight to her toes as he let her set the pace. She alternated between up and down, left and right…it was what she felt right and it did feel good. Crazy good.

"Fuck…fuck…so good…" she repeated over and over into his ear, making him twist his head to meet her lips. "So fucking good, Gen…" she hummed into his mouth.

When at last he heard her say she was coming, he was already on the brink of shooting. Her groans were getting louder and louder that Gendry had to kiss her when she finally came. She would have screamed her head off if he hadn't kissed her, because she came harder than she did that first night and Gendry felt it. With a few more thrusts, he grunted his release.

"Holy effing mother of…" she gasped when he lay them back a while later, placing her head onto his chest. She could still hear his rapid heartbeat as he slowly floated down from an epic high. 'That was…"

"Intense?" he chuckled, twisting the end of her hair in his index finger.

She nodded. "And deep."

He grinned. "You learned something new today."

She laughed. "I did, didn't I?"

"Go to sleep," he whispered. "I'll wake you up when it's time to go."

She sighed. "As much as I'd like to dally in bed with you, I should probably go now before I do fall asleep here and get caught."

Gendry frowned, but he knew she was right. He leaned in for another long, sweet kiss this time before he playfully pushed her out of his bed. "Go if you have to go. I might not be able to let you out of this bed the next time."

Arya laughed as she put her shirt and shorts back on. She found her panties on the floor next to his shorts and opted to put it in her pocket instead. Gendry was amused by this, although she swears his eyes were staring her down hotly again.

"See you later," she said as she crossed the room and towards the door.

"Arya?" he called out softly. "I love you."

Arya's face split into a grin. "And I love you, stupid and all."

* * *

_"Anha vazhak yeraan thirat!"_

Joffrey found out from Jorah that Drogo meant, _"I will let you live!"_ Everyone laughed with the exception of Joffrey, who looked like he was about to faint and cry, whichever comes first.

"This guy's fucking insane!" Joffrey cried out as he did another set of push ups. He was on the 30th count already and he felt like he was about to die, but apparently, it wasn't enough for the gym owner.

"You can do it, bro!" Gendry shouted out as he lifted himself up the bar, showing off a bit when his muscles ripped from the effort.

"Come on, Joff! Imagine the ladies when you finally get your hot bod!" Jon teased. He was on the treadmill beside Theon's.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!" Joffrey cried out again even as he grunted his way into another set of push ups.

_"Fini hazi? Yer ojila!" (What is that? You're wrong!) _Drogo said as he went to position himself on the floor to show Joffrey how a real push up must be done.

The guys snickered some more. It seemed like Drogo was beating Joffrey to a pulp, but they found out from Jory and Jorah that he was the Khal's favorite. With a loud, dramatic grunt, Joffrey did as he was told, earning a pat on the back from Drogo. Joffrey collapsed at the weight of Drogo's hand on his back.

_"Athdavrazar! Athdavrazar!" (Excellent! Excellent!)_ Drogo exclaimed happily as he helped pull Joffrey from the floor. "You, good? Yes! _Me nem nesa! (It is known)_"

Finally, Drogo left Joffrey to see to Robb's training. It seemed funny to find them using hand signals, as if Joffrey was watching a rerun of _The Three Stooges_ on Saturday tv. With a roll of his eyes, he turned to Gendry and pointed an accusing finger at him.

"What?" Gendry said with a laugh.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you? You're letting that guy with humongous man-boobs work me to death and you lot are making fun of me!" Joffrey said in anger.

"Dude, no one's killing you," said Theon, who just stepped down from the treadmill. "You're just too pretty boy puny. You're too scared of messing up your hair with sweat!"

"At least my hair's better than yours!" Joffrey shot back the insult, although Theon only laughed in response.

Jorah walked up to them and said, "That's it for today, guys. You're all doing well with the program. We'll see you back here day after tomorrow, alright?"

Everyone responded with fist bumps and grunts, very manly responses so to speak, while Joffrey suddenly cowered at the sight of Drogo approaching the group.

_"Hash yer dothrae check asshekh? Yer chomoe anna!" (How are you today? You do honor to me!) _Drogo said with a playful punch to Joffrey's arm.

Gendry choked back laughter as Joffrey was thrown back by Drogo's force, discreetly holding his brother's back to keep his balance.

_"Dothras chek!" (Be cool!)_ Drogo said in parting, as he waved to the group before meeting another group of clients from across the gym.

_"Hajas!" _Joffrey said with a wave of his hand, happy that their session was now over. He turned to see everyone staring at him like he grew four arms. "What?"

"You just said _Goodbye!_ in Dothraki." Robb said with a grin.

Joffrey shrugged. "First rule of battle, know your enemies. Even if it meant learning Dothraki."

"So Drogo's an enemy?" Gendry asked, amusement gleaming in his blue Baratheon eyes.

Joffrey's shoulders slumped. "Come on, bro! The guy's killing me! If he should take me down, I should at least die with man-boobs as big as his."

They laughed as they walked towards the shower room.

* * *

**A/N: Got the Dothraki words and phrases from dothraki/Idioms_and_Phrases.**

**Thanks for still reading this. Things would get more complicated from hereon...I think :) Reviews are love **


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Just a quick thank you to those who still read this. I'm getting less reviews lately, so I'm not sure if people are still reading this or if you guys are still interested with where this is going. Or I might be doing shitty work & I have no idea I'm messing up my work already. So because of that, I might be cutting this story short soon & just post a couple more chapters until I end it. I've still got ideas for this, but of course if I don't have readers anymore, I might as well put it to an end.**

** Again, thank you for the follows/likes/favorites. You guys rock :D**

* * *

Robb opened the door for Grey Wind as they stepped outside the house for their early morning jog. He missed his pet terribly during their time at Highgarden, and he could tell the wolf missed him too by the way he was tackled by the pet to the ground. He was the biggest of all the Stark wolves and Robb was proud to boast so.

"Grey Wind! To me!" he called out to the wolf as they started off down the wide, quiet street. Grey Wind was wandering down the opposite side but quickly trotted to his master's side when he heard the command.

These early morning jogs were important to Robb as it was the only special bonding time he had with his pet before he went about his daily business. They took the familiar route; passing by the neighboring mansions until they arrived at the center of town and on to Red Keep Park. The place was still quite empty, considering the early hour. He ran a few times around the trail, looking to the side to see Grey Wind running at the same pace. He knew that the wolf could run faster than this, but being the ever-loyal pet that he is, opted to run beside his master. Robb grinned at how fiercely loyal his pet is. He rubbed Grey Wind's fur before picking up pace again.

Fifteen minutes into the jog, Grey Wind suddenly ran away from Robb, startling his master at the wolf's sudden excitement. He chased after his pet, calling out his name until he realized that Grey Wind was out there playing with Ghost. If Ghost was there, Jon must be there too. True enough, Jon jogged towards him, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Didn't know you were here, bro," Jon said as he came to a stop. He leaned his hands on his knees, bending over from the exertion of having to run after Ghost.

"Me, too," Robb replied. "I miss these early morning runs with Grey Wind, though. I haven't taken him for a run since before we left for Highgarden."

"I know. Although I should have brought Nymeria, too. She seems to be a bit out of shape because Arya doesn't seem to be running lately. I wonder why," said Jon with a sneer.

Robb laughed. "Oh, you know perfectly why, Jon."

Jon placed his hands on his hips and exhaled loudly, making Robb laugh harder.

"You feel like having breakfast at Hot Pie's? Haven't seen that kid in a while," Robb said a while later.

"After that jog? Are you serious?" Jon said with raised brows. "I could eat a whole plate of bacon right about now!"

"Dare!" Robb called out.

"Double dare!" Jon responded, giving his brother a playful push.

* * *

"Bro," Robb whispered to Jon as he took a sip of his coffee. "Guess who's back in town."

They were sitting in a booth at Doughnuts of Dorne, indulging in a plateful of crispy bacon and blueberry pancakes when Robb noticed someone walk in. Jon turned to look and froze when he saw the familiar face. As if feeling that someone was watching him, the newcomer raised his eyes until they rested on both Stark brothers, who apparently were watching his every move.

"Hey," Jon called out. "Look who's back."

Sandor walked towards their booth, tucking both hands into his pockets as if unsure of what to do. He gave a small nod before taking a seat on the empty space being offered to him.

"Where've you been, Sandor? We weren't sure what happened to you after…you know…" Robb said with a shrug.

"I had to be out of the radar for a while, you know," Sandor replied. "You know how Ramsay gets when he's pissed."

"You did the right thing, man," Jon said with a nod. "If you didn't call the cops, those guys would have done more _damage_ that night than we could have imagined."

"By _damage_, do you mean Arya Stark?" Sandor asked with a blank expression.

Robb and Jon exchanged glances before nodding. The three guys looked at each other for a while, as if a silent agreement and understanding passed between them.

"They've been trying for a while to make me _use_…I just can't. It's not something I would do, no matter how fucked up my life is," Sandor explained. "Your cousin would have been neck-deep in Ramsay shit if he didn't realize it early on."

"Yeah," said Robb. "We tried telling him at first, but it wasn't until things sort of got out of hand that he realized what a bunch of crackheads these guys were."

"They tried taking Gendry in, too," Sandor said. "Good thing Baratheon's got a good head on his shoulders."

Jon and Robb were silent, although they nodded their heads in agreement.

"You coming back to Uni this sem?" Jon asked, trying to make the conversation a bit cheerful for a change.

"Yeah," Sandor replied. He was playing with the salt and pepper shakers on the table. "I still have a year to go with that boring shit of a professor in Taxation."

Robb laughed. "I had him last year, seven hells, I think I was asleep in most of his classes!"

"Hey, you wanna get some breakfast?" Jon asked Sandor, signaling to the _Morning Specials_ menu on the board. "Hot Pie's not in this morning, but Robb would gladly treat you to breakfast."

"Hey!" Robb protested.

Sandor and Jon laughed. "I'd be happy to pay for my own breakfast, man," the former said.

"I was kidding," Robb laughed in response. "Go on, get your breakfast. My treat."

"Are you sure?" Sandor asked.

Robb waved his right hand towards the menu board. "Knock yourself out."

* * *

"I didn't know this little wolf has a very beautiful voice," Cersei gushed that night, as they gathered together in the family room. They had just had dinner and were enjoying the last few weeks before school starts.

Arya blushed beet red as she looked down in embarrassment. Robb, Jon and Theon grinned proudly, while the Baratheons smiled in genuine amusement at her newly-discovered talent. Gendry was looking at her with shining blue Baratheon eyes and a smirk pasted on his face.

"It's nothing," Arya dismissed their praises with an embarrassed demeanor. "It's just a hobby and not a good one at that!"

"Oh shush, you!" Cersei disagreed with a wave of her long, graceful fingers. "I would have cried more had Gendry and Tommen not pleaded embarrassment because of me! But thank you, my little wolf, for singing my favorite song. You made that night even better than it already was. You too, Joff," she added with a smile.

It was Joffrey's turn to blush, much to the amusement of everyone.

"I noticed you're looking good lately, Joff," Robert commented as he stared at his son's better toned figure. "I assume the new workout program's working for you guys?"

"Yeah, but not as good as how it's working for Joff!" Gendry teased. He ducked when Joffrey threw a pillow straight to his face. "Hey! Watch the face!"

"It's not worth anything anyway!" Joffrey joked in return.

"Oooh!" cooed all the Starks.

"Excuse you," Gendry said as he threw the pillow back to Joffrey, aiming for face too. "My face value shoots ten times higher than yours, which by the way, isn't worth much."

"Just you wait till I get those Drogo man-boobs, bro," Joffrey replied with great confidence. "Those man-boobs will crush you."

"Yuck!" Tommen exclaimed in disgust. "What are Drogo man-boobs? They sound disgusting!"

Robert raised a brow towards his older sons before turning to the youngest. "Don't listen to your brothers. It's not a nice…word."

"Like _dickwad_?" Tommen innocently asked his father.

Gendry choked back a laugh while Joffrey's face drained of all color. Robert, on the other hand, looked like smoke was about to come out of his ears. He constantly reminded his older sons to watch their language in Tommen's presence because the boy was naturally curious and was always fast to pick up new words. He was about to tell his sons off when a loud ringing suddenly startled them and for a moment, cut the tension off the air.

"Sorry, forgot to put it on silent," Arya mumbled an apology. "Hello?" She turned to look at her brothers and shrugged, as if saying she had no idea who it was. She took a quick look at the phone's screen and confirmed that it was an unregistered number. "Hello?" she repeated, pressing a finger to her other ear so she could hear better. She was silent for a while until they heard her gasp in surprise. "Oh my god!"

Robb, Jon and Theon were immediately on alert. Sensing Arya's tensed state, they tried taking the phone from her, to which she held a finger up to keep them away. She silently mouthed _"Ssh!"_ until she finally let out a bubbly laugh. "Okay! Okay! Calm down! I'll give the phone now to Robb!"

She held the phone out for Robb to take, who in turn grabbed the phone not one second later. That earned him a smack on the arm from Arya.

"Hello?" Robb asked, a puzzled look forming on his face. Just like Arya, he seemed to only be listening for a while until he held the phone further away from his ear, cringing at the high-pitched shrieks coming from the other end of the line and that everyone could now hear.

With a silly grin on his face, Robb announced to the group, "Sansa's taking the last flight out tonight. She's coming over to visit before school starts in a few weeks. And," he turned to Robert and Cersei, who both seemed to be grinning from ear to ear. "You both know about this! She said Dad asked your permission to take in another Stark for the next few weeks."

"The more, the merrier!" Robert's booming laughter echoed throughout the room.

"Oi! Sansa's coming to visit! You hear that, Joff?" Gendry nudged his younger brother.

Joffrey blushed. His usually fair complexion was now as red as Chef Baelish's tomato salad. "Shut it," he muttered.

"A Baratheon for each Stark. How about that?" Robert commented with a chuckle.

"Ah…" Arya cleared her throat to get Joffrey's attention. "I think Sansa's seeing someone…"

"Oh! Now that's what I call _nipping it in the bud_!" Gendry hooted with laughter. "Come on, bro. Let's see what those Drogo man-boobs can do for you!"

* * *

"I cannot believe you just did that!" Arya exclaimed happily.

"What?" Sansa pleaded innocence, staring at her younger sister from the video chat screen while trying to keep a straight face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You kept that little secret from me! You've known for weeks that you were coming to visit and you did not even say anything? Not even a text?" Arya whined.

"Well," Sansa replied, twisting the ends of her hair to check for split ends. She made a face when she found a few, before turning back to the screen. "If you weren't so _busy_ with loverboy right down the hall, you would have found time to chat with me. Or Bran. Or Rickon."

Arya froze. _Holy crap. How does she know? Did Robb and Jon tell her? Were we too loud? Oh my fucking god how could they know Gendry and I are sneaking into-_

"Uh, hello? Earth to Arya? You're not even listening to me," Sansa said with a sigh.

Arya jolted out of her trance. "Oh! Sorry! I was just thinking…"

Sansa's brow went up. "Looks to me like you _remembered_ something. Come on. Spill!"

"No."

"Arya! Don't be selfish! You just thought of Gendry!"

"You're stupid! Why does it have to be Gendry all the time?"

"No, you be stupid! You had that look on your face like you're madly in love with-OH MY EFFING GOD! ARYA! Has anything happened between you and Gendry?!"

Arya struggled to turn the speaker's volume down. "Shit, Sansa! Keep it down, will you? It's 11 pm!"

Sansa giggled. _How very Sansa that giggle was_. "Come on, Arya Lyanna Stark! Have you and Gendry done…_it_?"

Arya rolled her eyes. "Yes," she mumbled sheepishly.

"HOLY MOTHERFUCKING SHIT! MY SISTER'S NO LONGER A VIRGIN!" Sansa squealed.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck, Sansa!" Arya shout-wispered as she continued to lower the volume more. "If you don't shut your pretty little mouth, I'm going to fucking log out of this chat and make you suffer without telling you the fucking deets!" Arya hissed. "And I didn't even know you could fucking curse like that!"

Sansa clapped her hands to mock Arya. "Ooh! She knows how to talk dirty now! Did Gendry teach you that too?"

Arya rubbed her hands over her face. "Jesus Christ…"

"Fine! I'll shut up," Sansa said. Pointing a finger to the screen, she added, "_For now_. But you're telling me _everything_ when I get there. Got that?"

Arya was distracted momentarily by an incoming text message. Reaching over for her phone, she grinned upon seeing it was from Gendry.

_"I'm happy your sister's coming to visit. You seem really excited."_

She tapped her response on the screen and hit _send_.

_"I do miss her, even if she's annoyingly girly girl."_

"Oh my god, you need help," Sansa said as she made a face. "Is that him? Tell him I said hi."

Arya tapped in another message and again hit _send_. She got a response a few seconds later.

_"Haha. Tell her I said hi, too."_

"He says hi," Arya said as she put her phone back on the desk.

Sansa pouted. "Okay, now I'm sad. I want my own Gendry."

"Absolutely not! There can't be two Gendrys. There only has to be one, and that one's mine. Hey! You can take Joffrey?"

Sansa made a face. "Oh, eew! He used to follow me around like a puppy and he's annoyingly arrogant."

Arya laughed. "Careful! Remember how I used to hate _Gumby Gendry_ back then? Yeah…"

Another incoming text startled them both. Arya read it out loud to Sansa.

"He says, _Can't wait to see Joff follow Sansa around like a puppy! LOL! Ok, going to sleep now. I love you."_

"Did you have to read that out loud?" Sansa complained.

"Yes, so shut up," Arya replied, her fingers still typing in a response before sending the message back to Gendry.

"I'm guessing you said _I love you_ back, and you guys are ridiculously mushy. And now, I'm going to sleep so goodnight, beyotch!"

"Back at ya," Arya laughed. "I'll see you day after tomorrow?"

"You betcha."


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter. I was pleasantly surprised that so many sent me reviews and PMs...I am genuinely touched by the support (excuse the Oscar-like speech) and no, I wasn't planning on ending it abruptly.**

**Neither am I ending this story anytime soon :D**

**Thank you! You know how this goes...you guys rock, and especially GRRM because I'm sort of playing with his characters.**

**I hope you enjoy this one. Sansa wasn't in this story much so there's more Arya/Sansa bonding. And my apologies in advance...major Gendrya cheese up ahead.**

* * *

"Psst! Arya!"

Arya turned around to find Sansa hiding behind the door to the upstairs bathroom. She raised her brows in question, to which Sansa only answered with a wave of her hand which meant for Arya to follow her inside. Taking a quick look down the hallway, she followed her sister inside and closed the door.

"What are you doing here? They've been looking for you," Arya said.

Sansa held a finger up to her lips. "Sssh! I'm hiding!"

"From whom?"

"Sssh!" Sansa hissed again. "From your brother-in-law!"

Arya stepped back. She stared at Sansa with an incredulous look on her face. "Why are you hiding from Joff? Did he do anything to you? Like, _anything_?" She said the last part with a little squint of her eye.

Sansa shook her head, making her fiery auburn hair sway softly around her shoulders. "He didn't do anything like that. It's just that he's been following me around, staying in the same room as I am although he doesn't say much. I just find it…"

"Annoying?" Arya provided for her.

"Nerve-wracking, actually," Sansa sighed. "He makes me nervous just sitting there, not saying anything. It feels like I'm being watched. I mean, I've been here since yesterday, but he hasn't said a word to me except _hi _and _bye_ but he's _always_ around." Sansa tilted her head and said, "Okay, now that I think about it, it _is_ kind of creepy and annoying."

"Joff's totally harmless," Arya remarked. She closed the toilet lid and sat on it. "He just has this little, tiny, teeny-weeny bit of a crush on you," Arya added as she grinned up at her sister.

Sansa rolled her eyes.

_Wow, I missed that eyeroll!_ Arya thought.

Sansa crossed the bathroom to take a seat on the edge of the tub. "I guess he's okay. But it's like we're 10 years old again and honestly, I'd prefer it if he talked to me instead of following me like a lost puppy. Lady didn't even follow me around that much!"

Arya laughed. "You want me to talk to him? You know, just give subtle hints or something?"

Sansa reached over to hug her. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Well, come on then," Arya said as she helped Sansa up. "Cersei's taking us out for lunch and we need to get ready."

Arya stuck her head out to check if the coast was clear before pulling Sansa out with her. They crept towards the room where Sansa was staying and shut the door as quickly as possible before anyone found them.

"You do realize we're acting like idiots, right?" Arya asked, putting both hands or her hips.

"I know," Sansa whined. "I'm sorry! I wasn't ready for _Stalker Joffrey _nor did I sign up for a _Stalker Joffrey_ vacation getaway either."

"Okay," Arya said as she crossed over from the bed to the luggage placed all around the room. "We need to get ready to go out and why in the world are your clothes strewn across the floor? And please tell me you did not pack your entire wardrobe for a short trip?"

Sansa flushed with guilt. "I didn't know what to bring, really! So I just put everything in there. At least I won't have problems dressing up for something."

"What are you going to be dressing up for?" Arya asked, her brow lifting to as high as her hairline. "Did someone ask you to the _Oscar's_?"

Sansa looked over to where Arya was pointing and found the little black dress she shoved in her luggage. The glittery red killer heels she usually wore with the dress was peeking out of her shoe luggage.

"I told you, I just shoved everything in there."

"Hooh-kay, Dorothy," Arya said as she started rummaging through the pile of clothes. "Let's find you something to wear because we are going to Oz."

"Since when are you interested in clothes, my dear sister? What happened?" Sansa asked with amusement.

"The joint forces of Cersei and Renly Baratheon happened. Okay, why don't you go to my room and we'll change there? I just need to get something from Gendry's room."

"Are you leaving clothes in Gendry's room now?" Sansa choked out the question.

Arya rolled her eyes. "No, stupid! He left his phone in his room and he asked me to get it for him when I went looking for you."

Both girls walked out of Sansa's room, with Arya pointing a finger to where hers is. Sansa gave a her a knowing glare before walking in and closing the door. Arya, on the other hand, walked to the opposite end of the hallway and into Gendry's.

* * *

"I'll meet you guys in a few," Gendry said as he got up from the couch. They were waiting in the family room while Arya, Sansa and Cersei got ready to go out.

"Couldn't you wait until they get down here?" Joff asked, a knowing grin spreading across his face.

"I left my phone in my room, you idiot," Gendry replied nonchalantly.

He left the room before anyone could say anything else. He asked Arya to get his phone for him, but he figured it might be the only chance they would be alone, even for a really short while. He stopped himself from almost whistling as he skipped up the stairs and into his room, which he found was empty. With a quick turn, he made a detour towards Arya's room and slowly pushed the door open.

It was empty as well. Gendry frowned, until he heard the water in the shower stop, the taps turning to a close. Feeling a bit dangerous, he stepped towards the bathroom to give Arya a little surprise. The shower's glass door was all fogged up, and Gendry couldn't exactly see Arya from out here. He fought back devious laughter when he opened the shower door, sliding it to the left before sticking his head in.

He didn't find Arya, but he found a piss-scared Sansa tucking the ends of a towel to secure it from falling.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeee!" Sansa shrieked. She put her arms around herself to keep the towel from falling to the floor.

"GODDAMN MOTHERFUCKING…" Gendry cried out in alarm. He quickly ran out of the bathroom and back into Arya's room to find her standing there with a shocked look on her face. Apparently, it wasn't just Arya who had a shocked expression to her. So did Jon, Robb, Theon and Joffrey, as they stood in line behind Arya to find out what has distressed Sansa.

"What the fuck are you doing in there?" Jon said angrily, as he stared at Gendry to Sansa and back to Gendry. "My sister's in there!"

"I didn't know that, bro!" Gendry said, putting both hands on his head and shuffled his feet in a nervous manner. "I was looking for Arya and obviously, I found the wrong sister." He turned to Sansa and muttered an apology, to which she waved her hand in dismissal, muttering _"It's okay"_ before going back in the bathroom to change.

"Well, if you're looking for Arya, why were you snooping into her bathroom anyway?" Robb asked in all curiousity.

"I have his phone!" Arya quickly interjected to shift everyone's attention. "Boys, Cersei's almost done and she says you should all go ahead and we'll just meet you at the restaurant as soon as we're ready here. Okay? Bye, guys!" She all but shoved everyone out of her room, except for Gendry.

"What were you doing in here?" she asked as soon as they were alone. "I asked Sansa to come get ready here while I got you your phone."

"I checked but you weren't in my room!" Gendry argued.

"Cersei called for me! She asked me to tell the guys that…okay, you know what? Whatever. Let's just go wait for Sansa and your mom downstairs, okay?" she said, tugging his arm as she led him towards the door.

Gendry's shoulders slumped. "I think I freaked her out."

"Who? Sansa?" Arya said. "Nah, she'll get over it. Once she gets over the shock, she'll just ask what you were doing sneaking into someone's bathroom while they're taking a shower."

"By _someone_, do you mean _you_?" Gendry asked with a hint of a smile.

"By _someone_, I mean _me_," she answered with a smile. "But you do know that my brothers would now get a hint that you sneak into my room, right?" She asked as she gently reached out to move the hair out of his eyes. Her fingers made a quick detour to his cheek; caressing the soft skin with her thumb until he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Still here," Sansa said as she came out of the bathroom, now fully-dressed. "Stop making me feel like a third wheel."

"Sorry about earlier," he said as he shyly turned to her.

Sansa gave a soft chuckle. "No problem. I wouldn't have screamed, you know, if I was actually dressed. But now that I think about it, had you snuck in there a couple of minutes earlier than you did, you would have seen me minus the towel," she shuddered at the thought. "_That_ would be embarrassing."

"Not as much for you as it would be for me," he said with a nervous laugh.

"Okay, this is getting a little weird," Arya said. "We'll be waiting downstairs, so just come down when you're ready."

"See you later," Sansa replied as she watched her sister and her boyfriend walk out of the room, playfully nudging each other as they went.

"Wow," Sansa said to herself with a deep sigh. "Never thought I'd see the day where _I _was the bloody third wheel."

* * *

"Maybe if you talk to her, you wouldn't have to be following her around like a lovesick puppy," Arya whispered to Joffrey as they walked down the busy sidestreets of King's Landing.

It was a nice day out and people were either running errands or simply just enjoying the weekend's beautiful weather. After having lunch at the ever-popular _Braavos_, Cersei wanted to shop for a few things so the girls-yes, even the guys-tagged along. No one was happy about shopping with Cersei, except maybe Sansa who had a deep love for shopping.

Arya slowed her steps so she would fall behind Joffrey, who was content walking at the tail end. She waited until Gendry was distracted with talk about photography with her brothers before sneaking at the end of the line with Joffrey.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Joffrey replied as he looked anywhere but at Arya.

"All I'm saying is that maybe you should just strike up a conversation. It's what normal people would do," Arya said with a soft laugh.

Joffrey stopped abruptly, making Arya trip over her own feet, making her throw Joffrey an annoyed glare. "Am I _that_ obvious?"

"Dude, you have a sign above your head that says _'I have a crush on Sansa Stark_'and it's all in neon."

Joffrey sighed. "You know I've had a crush on her since years ago."

"I know! Which is why you should just talk to her, be natural about it. You know…go with the flow?"

Joffrey stared at the Stark girl walking beside his mom right at the front of their little procession. She was everything that Arya was not-surprisingly tall, long auburn hair falling in soft waves down her back, slender figure, long legs from here to eternity. Although it didn't mean that she was the better Stark. Both girls were said to be amazing in their own way, and Joffrey had already known Arya for a while. Maybe getting to know Sansa would be a good way to start forming a friendship with her, if nothing else.

With renewed determination, he walked towards the front of the group, leaving a baffled Arya at the tail end.

"Oi! What are you doing?" she asked.

Joffrey gave one last look at her before sauntering towards the older sister. He smirked the famous Joffrey smirk and said, "Going with the flow."

* * *

"That tickles," Arya said with a soft laugh.

"Didn't know you have a ticklish spot here," Gendry murmured as he nuzzled her left shoulder. He tugged the soft material of Arya's sweater down some more until her entire shoulder was exposed. He placed a few more kisses on it and chuckled when Arya threw her head back with a sigh.

After an entire day of being with the rest of the family, they were both ready for a little Gendry-Arya time. So now, they were sitting at the back seat of Gendry's _Impala_, watching the red-orange hue of the sun as it set in the horizon. Gendry drove them to one of his favorite quiet spots; a secluded space overlooking the city which is about an hour's drive away from the city proper. He knew he made the right choice when Arya's face broke into a grin, although she teased him about only wanting to make out with her some more.

He felt her shift when she leaned her back to his chest, enjoying the feel of her pressed close to him. They were quiet for a time; just watching the round, orange ball drop lower and lower into the horizon until it was almost gone to be replaced by the incoming darkness. He felt more than heard Arya's sigh and this time, he couldn't resist the urge to kiss the soft, sweet spot behind her ear.

"It was nice of you to talk to my brother about your sister," he murmured in between kisses.

"Well, it's not as if I was match-making or anything," said Arya. "It was more like making him comfortable with talking to her, with him sporting a big crush and all. And besides, he was close to creeping her out."

"Joff's never been good with talking to the ladies," he added.

Arya shifted to face him. "So you're the smooth-talker in the family?"

Gendry laughed. "No! That would be Tommen."

Arya laughed along with him. She went turned to the front again and resumed her former position of leaning her back on his chest. "He's a sweet kid. I'm going to miss that squirt when I go back-"

Her voice trailed off and Gendry felt her stiffen. They've always known that she would eventually go back to Winterfell when things at Storm's End are in order, but hearing it aloud gave them both a feeling of dread.

"What are we going to do when I have to go back to Winterfell?" Arya whispered, reaching her hand back to his head to thread her fingers into his hair.

"Distance will be the only hindrance to this relationship. Phone sex or video sex wouldn't exactly feel the same as opposed to actually doing it live, but otherwise we're good," Gendry said as Arya laughed. "We're good, right?"

"We're good," she replied.

Gendry placed one last kiss on her exposed shoulder and pulled her to face towards him. He was leaning on the side of the door, his legs stretched out on the length of the back seat. Arya slowly sat astride, encircling her arms around his waist and leaning her head on the side of his neck. She inhaled his scent, which was somehow like he had just stepped out of the shower, fresh and clean and all male. He smelled so good and inviting, she calls the scent uniquely _Gendry_.

"I don't want to talk about that," she whispered. "And school's starting in a few weeks. I just want to enjoy this for now."

"Me too," he murmured into her hair as he inhaled the scent of her shampoo, knowing by now that she likes fruit-scented shampoo. "Hmm…smells fruity."

Arya threw her head back and laughed, knocking Gendry's chin by accident and hearing him howl in pain. "Oh my god! I'm sorry! But that doesn't sound so romantic, to be honest."

Gendry rolled his eyes as he rubbed his chin. "I'm not Shakespeare material, you know."

"Nope," she said with a lopsided grin. "You're different. You're just…just Gendry."

Gendry held her stare for as long as he could. He kept his expression blank, until he muttered, "Eww, cheeseball," making Arya start another fit of laughter.

* * *

"I'm sorry about barging into your room and taking up bed space," Sansa whispered the apology. "I didn't realize how much I missed talking to you up until the wee hours in the morning."

They were tucked in Arya's bed, catching up on gossip and just about anything and everything they could think of. It was almost 3 am, but Sansa and Arya were very much awake.

"Same here," Arya answered. She turned to her side to face Sansa, who was on her back and staring at the ceiling. "But now that you're here, I miss Mom and Dad and the little brats, too," she added, her voice turning soft and sad.

"The brats miss you too, you know," Sansa said. "Good thing they chat with Tommen all the time. He sort of distracted them from noticing that you don't chat with them as much as before. Gendry's a good guy, from what I see, but you do realize that the rest of your family is also craving for a little time with you, even if it's just through technology."

"You sound like Mom," Arya said, wrinkling her nose.

"Actually, _those_ were Mom's exact words. Mine are actually along the lines of _'Call Storm's End at least once a week, you beyotch!'_ although I'm sure I've edited out a few bleeps in there."

"What happened to the guy you were dating?" Arya said, making Sansa gasp at the swift change of topic.

"The usual. You know how someone turns out different as soon as you get to know them more."

"So, you're not dating anyone right now?"

"Nope," Sansa answered. She turned to face her sister, an accusing finger pointed towards her. "BUT, I'm not going to date Joffrey Baratheon. It might be a start to a good friendship, but nothing romantic's going to go from here."

Arya chuckled. "The guy's going to be crushed."

"I'm sure he'll live."

"I hope you don't lead him on or something," Arya said in all seriousness. "You know that the guy's sporting a major crush on you, so don't do anything that'll make him think there's hope for _JoffSan_ or something."

"_JoffSan_? What the hell?" Sansa said with a laugh. "So I assume you're _Gendrya_?"

"Oh my god," Arya said, shoving her head under the pillow. "Shut up!"

"So wait," Sansa said as she pulled Arya from under the pillow. "We're going with the guys to the gym tomorrow, right? This…what's the gym called? _Draco's?_"

"Drogo's," Arya answered. "They've been teasing Joff about his newly-developed man-boobs. And since the guys are actually looking pretty hot right now, I assume the work out's working for them."

"I'm sure you're checking out just Gendry! But do you think we could develop bigger chests with a work out?" Sansa said with a laugh.

Arya put a hand on each breast, squeezing them a bit to check their size. Sansa went into a fit of laughter as Arya stared at her breasts. "Actually, mine are pretty big. At least Gendry likes the feel of them in his hands."

It was Sansa's turn to bury her head under the pillow. "What the-! Stop!"

"He says my breasts are quite big and perky and that he gets instantly hard when he remembers how my nipples stand erect when I'm aroused."

"Arya!"

She didn't fight the laughter this time. "Okay! Okay! I was just messing with you. Although, he _did_ actually say that."

Sansa turned her back from Arya. "Okay, good night, Arya Stark!"

"No! Don't sleep yet! I have to tell you how hard his dick gets when I…"

"That information's not really going to contribute to anything important to society so…good night!"

Arya pinched her sister's arm, earning an annoyed growl from her. "I was kidding! Okay, not really, because I told you the truth, but I was just teasing you with torturous information."

"Too much information."

"Good night, San," she whispered when the laughter died down.

"Night, Ar. Sweet Gendry dreams."

Silence.

"Do you know that it actually feels better when you're sitting on…"

"Arya!"


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Okay...even if I'm a fan of the GoT characters, I'm such a huge Gendrya shipper. Which means, I have no idea if it's going to steer towards the SanSan ship, or the JoffSan ship. Because I've gotten messages about wanting a JoffSan angle because Joff is nice in this story. A lot want the SanSan ship too, so I'm seriously at a loss. A little help from my friends, please? XD**

**Oh, and to** _**isabranco**_,** I hope you find the easter egg :D**

* * *

His hands were gripping the bar firmly as he lifted it off the rack and positioned it directly above the middle of his chest. She could see him inhaling and exhaling as he lifted and lowered the bar, careful that he does not bounce the bar off his chest. His muscles were working as he extended his arms, doing eight repetitions for his first set.

Yes, she counted.

Arya knew she should not be staring but she couldn't help it. Here she was in a room filled with large, sweaty, grunting men, some even half-naked as their shirts were discarded to the sides as they went about their work out routines. She could see Robb, Jon, Theon and Joffrey doing runs at the treadmill and lifting weights. They were equally sweaty and nearly as buff as the other gym clients, but it was only one person she was interested in gawking at.

"Ooomfff…hrrrrmm…uuuurrggggh…" she heard him grunt as he lifted the weights up and down with great effort, until he finally placed it back on the rack and ended with a mighty, "Fuck! Hooh!"

Arya swallowed painfully. Her throat felt so dry it feels like she had been wandering up and down the Barchan sand dunes in the Grand Erg Oriental in the Sahara. She continued with the starefest; her eyeballs almost jumping out when he started doing pull-ups that even more so emphasized those bulging arm, shoulder and back muscles.

_Fuuuuuuuuck yeaaaaaah_.

"Oh my effing god," Sansa whined, making her sound like Lady during that time when her leg got stuck under the garage door in Winterfell.

Arya's head snapped in her sister's direction, already on defense mode in case she gets told off for staring. But Arya fought back laughter when she saw how wide her eyes went when the guy nearest them took his sweaty shirt off and flung it to the side, landing right on Sansa's feet. The guy look at them apologetically and slowly sauntered towards them with a lopsided grin.

"Sorry about that," the guy said as he picked up his shirt and placed it on top of the bench he was flinging it to. "I'm not a very good pitcher, it seems."

Quickly recovering from her initial surprise, Sansa quickly went into _Princess Sansa_ mode and gave the guy a shy smile. "No problem. It's just a shirt. Sansa!"

Arya would have rolled her eyes, thinking that if it were _normal_ Sansa, she would have shrieked at the thought of anything (or anyone) sweaty touching her. But what made this time different is this stunningly gorgeous guy standing in front of them who's trying to strike up a conversation. Well, with Sansa, at least.

"Excuse me?" Mr. Gorgeous said with a small laugh.

Sansa was quick to recover. "Oh, sorry! I'm Sansa," she explained, giving the guy one of those bright Sansa smiles.

Mr. Gorgeous extended his hand. "Daniel," he said, showing a fine set of biters.

_I'm Arya! Nice to meet you too!_ Arya said, but only in her thoughts, of course. She was used to this, actually. People usually notice Sansa first before they noticed her. Most of the time she was okay with it, but there are times when they were actually face to face but she still gets ignored, so those were the times when Arya gets annoyed. But she let this one go because who needs Mr. Gorgeous right here when she has her very own right across the room.

She looked over to him and saw that the guys suddenly stopped moving. They were watching her and Sansa as this stranger struck a random conversation with them. Arya could see Gendry's jaw work; the muscles clenching and unclenching as he probably thought the guy was bothering them. She shook her head to appease his worry. He acknowledged her with a small nod, although none of the guys stopped watching over them from across the room.

Finally, with Sansa declining Daniel's offer to take her out for coffee, Mr. Gorgeous gave a shy smile and walked back to the locker room. Arya looked at her sister and asked, "Why'd you turn him down? He looks exactly like your type."

Sansa did a one-shoulder shrug. "Exactly. Which means Daniel looks exactly like the last guy I dated, which again means that I need to find a new type."

"Wait, what?" Arya said.

"Holy shit! Look!" Sansa pointed over to the entrance to the locker room.

"Don't distract me with-"

"Shut up," the older girl snapped. "I said, look…" Sansa put both hands on either side of Arya's head and literally turned it towards the locker room.

Arya was taken aback by a 6 foot 5 giant of a man, bulging muscles and all, walk towards the directions of the Starks and Baratheons. He was flanked by two gym instructors on either side of him (they do look like instructors, to be honest, although not as muscular as the giant) who looked like they were immensely popular too. Clients shouted out greetings to the three as they walked towards the guys.

_"__M'atchomaroon! Hash yer dothrae chek asshekh? (Hi! How are you today?)" _The giant of a man called out to her brothers, who in turn rewarded him with high-fives and fist bumps.

The sisters watched as the guys and this small group interacted with each other through hand signals, broken english and manly grunts of affirmation. It finally dawned on Arya that this must be _Khal Drogo_, thegym's owner, and those two are his best instructors, Jorah and Jory, the _Doublemint Twins _as Theon puts it.

_"__Anha dothrak chek asshekh! (I feel well today)" _Drogo replied to Joffrey's question. Arya noticed that either Jorah or Jory made the necessary translations for everyone, making Arya wonder if they were _really_ giving out the right interpretation. It would be funny if they guys get trampled to death by Drogo just because they made wrong interpretations like _I'd like to do your wife _instead of _I'd like to do your work out._

"Arya! Sansa!" Robb called out to them, making both sisters jump from surprise. The guys signaled for them to come over, each one of them wearing a stupid grin on their faces and making Drogo, Jorah and Jory watch them with appraising eyes.

"What do they want?" Sansa whispered to her sister as they slowly walked to the other side. She would have gripped her sister's hand for support, but she could see that Arya was equally nervous as she.

"No idea," Arya muttered before she taking Gendry's side once they've crossed over. Gendry grinned widely as he held on to her hand possessively.

The introductions confirmed Arya's suspicions: this is Drogo and his fiercely loyal friends, Jory and Jorah, The Instructors.

_"__Athchomar chomakea! (Respect to those that is respectful!)" _Drogo exclaimed as he spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Drogo welcome lovely bitches!"

Arya choked back a laugh and Sansa's jaw dropped in shock at Drogo's words. The guys looked equally shocked as they were, although Arya found it funny than offensive. It appears like Drogo has been hanging out and learning english from the wrong people.

_"__Yer zheanae sekke (You're very beautiful)," _Drogo said to both sisters, but immediately turning to Jory for translation.

"The Khal says you're very beautiful, both of you," Jory explained.

"What is a Khal?" Sansa blurted out of curiosity.

"It means Dothraki warlord," Jory answered.

"He goes to war?" Sansa asked.

"No," Jory replied. "He goes to the gym."

"I don't understand," Sansa said, her pretty brows furrowing in confusion.

"Me neither," Jory said with a shrug.

With the help of Jorah and Jory, Drogo explained to the girls what the work out does for the guys. Then with a sudden inspired look on his face, Drogo started clapping and waving his hands around and speaking rapid Dothraki. Arya and Sansa whimpered and hid behind Gendry and Jon, as if the guys would provide some kind of shield in case Drogo started busting out warhammers and flinging spears and arrows all around the premises.

Jorah and Jory looked comical as they nodded their heads enthusiastically at what the Khal said. Finally, after delivering a long speech, the giant of a man walked towards one of the rooms at the back part of the gym. They had no idea what was happening until Jorah explained that the Khal was out to get his wife from her class so he could introduce her to the girls.

"He said that?" Arya asked Jorah.

The man nodded. "Yes. He said _'This is a great idea! I will fetch my Khaleesi!'_

Arya's brows shot up so far up her forehead. "I thought he was delivering the _Gettysburg address_ in alien speak and it turns out he only meant something that literally translated to just two sentences?"

Jorah nodded sadly. "Dothraki is a very complex language."

"You think?" Arya retorted.

"Okay!" Gendry said cheerfully, placing a hand over Arya's mouth and steering her to his side. "That was a great work out today!"

Arya would have bitten his palm if only Gendry had not tightened his hand over mouth, not giving her any chance of exposing her teeth and sinking it into his flesh out of anger. It looked like he was giving her a headlock, but with his hand over her mouth instead of his arm around her neck.

"Hello, everyone," said the woman beside Drogo. Heads turned in their direction, making Drogo look every bit as smug as a real Dothraki warlord must be after winning a battle. He looked so proud and smitten by the petite, blonde-haired, violet-eyed beautiful woman beside him. Arya wondered who the woman is.

_"__Jalan atthirari anni (moon of my life), Khaleesi!" _Drogo said as he introduced (attempted) the woman to the group.

They were all staring at her because of her flawless skin, startling violet eyes, blood red lips and long, curly blonde hair. She was petite in frame, but she had all the right curves in all the right places. The guys were ogling her with hungry, adoring eyes, including Gendry.

_STOP! Rewind._

Even Gendry was ogling this _Khaleesi_, whatever that is again. He didn't even notice that she was studying his reaction as he stood there, open-mouthed like the others, openly staring at this _Khaleesi_'s beauty.

"Hello everyone," she greeted with a melodic voice. It sounded husky to Arya's ears, something that would probably be described by others as a _bedroom voice_, and she sure hoped that it wouldn't come to the point where Gendry had to literally find out what this woman's voice really sounds like _in the bedroom_.

"You need a drool bucket?" Arya muttered to Gendry under her breath.

He gave her a sideways glare, snorting his irritation at her question. "I wasn't drooling."

"If that wasn't _drooling_, then I don't know what is," Arya muttered angrily. "You could at least be discreet, you know, since I'm standing here beside you."

"I wasn't drooling!" Gendry hissed angrily.

_Okay, he looks kind of pissed right now, the idiot. _

"This is Dany, or more properly known as Daenerys Targaryen, the _Unburnt Mother of Cupcakes,_ _Khaleesi of the Dothraki, Trueborn Queen of Yoga, _and _Lady of the Seven Most Lethal Martial Arts Ever Created_," Jorah gave the introduction as if he's already tired of reciting this all the time.

"What does that even mean?" Sansa whispered to Arya, who moved back to her side and away from a fuming Gendry, who was by the way, still ogling this _mother of cupcakes and queen of yoga_ and all that shit.

"I don't know and I don't care," Arya muttered under her breath. "I don't even know if that's her entire family name and if it is, I wonder how that works out on her ID's."

"My husband tells me you might be interested in doing yoga?" Dany addressed Arya and Sansa, although the entire group were listening too. "Who would like to learn yoga in my class?" she asked, her gaze moving from Arya to Sansa and back again.

Five hands shot up, and each one belonging to either a Stark or Baratheon male. Arya shot Gendry a glare, but he seemed to be ignoring her on purpose, holding his right hand up high like the rest of them.

_What the fuck did he need to know yoga for?!_

"I encourage you, girls, to enroll in my class," she added with a smile. "Yoga is said to improve a lot of physical and mental aspects in one's life, even your sex life."

Arya's back suddenly straightened in attention.

"For example," Dany continued, aware that even the guys are listening to her explain about the benefits of yoga to one's sex life. "There are many poses that would help give someone more explosive orgasms , especially for the ladies. The _Upavistha Konasana _or the Wide-Legged Straddle Pose, increases the flow of blood to the pelvis. It strengthens the muscles that play an important role in building and getting orgasms. With this to consider, would you girls like to try yoga?"

"No!" Robb and Jon cried out simultaneously.

"Yes!" Arya cried out the same time as her brothers did, earning a deathly glare from both.

A red-as-beet Gendry was uncharacteristically nervously biting his nails.

"Where should we sign up?" Arya said breathlessly, ignoring the glares her brothers are throwing her way.

"I hold classes every Saturday and Sunday so take your pick," Dany said with a smile.

"Count us in," Sansa confirmed with a determined tilt of her chin.

* * *

"What's your problem?" Arya asked as they got inside the car.

Sansa quietly slid into the back seat of the _Impala_, careful not to make a noise as she tried to blend in with the soft brown, leather-covered seats. Arya and Gendry had been bickering since before they left _Drogo's_ and has not stopped taunting each other even as they crossed the parking lot and into his car.

"No, what's _your_ problem?" Gendry snapped back, not even sparing her a glance as he slid into the driver's seat and thrust the key into the ignition. He didn't even look at the rearview mirror to check if Sansa has settled in the back, nor did he look sideways to check if his girlfriend was safely in the front seat.

"I don't have a problem, Baratheon!" Arya growled in rensponse. She started rummaging through the gym bag on her lap; looking around for something Sansa didn't know what.

"Oh! I just realized that _I do _have a problem," he said, his voice turning angrier by the minute. "And my problem is that _you and your jealous fits_!"

"You were ogling her!" Arya shot back in response. "You were practically undressing her with your eyes! She's married, for fuck's sake!"

"I wasn't even doing anything!" Gendry vehemently denied the accusation. "Stop being a jealous, spoiled brat, because this isn't even the first time I've encountered one of your jealous fits! Do you have to be fucking jealous of everyone because I'm getting fucking tired of all your fucking jealous fits! I can't just keep apologizing for everything that I don't even know what I've done because you know what? Not everything's about you, Arya!"

Gendry took a slightly sharp turn at the intersection, startling both Arya and Sansa in their seats. Gendry quickly reacted by pressing his foot on the brake, harder than he would have intended, causing the car to stop abruptly before eventually dying.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuck! Shit!" Gendry shouted angrily, pounding the balls of his palms on the steering wheel in time with every word stressed. He took a deep breath before exhaling loudly, seemingly trying to calm his nerves before muttering an apology, although Arya thinks it was said to Sansa by the way he looked at her through the rearview mirror.

He didn't even say anything to Arya.

Fighting back frustrated tears before they fell, she pulled the door latch and quickly got out. She heard Gendry call out her name, noticing that there was more a sense of alarm and surprise in it than the anger that was there earlier. She took a quick turn of her head to look at her sister staring at her through the window, a scared look on her face. She ran down the end of the street towards somewhere she didn't know, moving as fast as she could before Gendry could even catch up to her.

When she rounded the corner, she realized she was at some part of Red Keep Park. She found some secluded spot underneath the acorn tree, plopped down on the grass and started crying.

* * *

"She's not picking up," Sansa said as she pressed her phone's _End Call_ button. "I don't even know if she has her phone with her."

"She has it," Gendry mumbled from the farthest corner of Robb's room. He tried to stay away from the Stark brothers in case they decided to feed him to the wolves. "I rummaged through her gym bag. Her phone wasn't there."

Having had enough of waiting, Jon quickly strode over to Gendry and pulled him by the shirt front. "I told you I'll crack your skull if you hurt my sister!"

Gendry decided not to say anything and just waited for Jon's fist to connect with his face.

"Stop it!" Sansa shouted to everyone in the room. "We're not going to find her by beating anyone up!" She glared at Jon as she said this. "There's no need to make mountains out of molehills, really. I was in the car when it happened. They were just having a little argument and Arya just up and ran out of the car. But we'll find her, okay? What do you think she'll do, take the last flight out to Storm's End?"

Gendry froze at the thought.

"Now," she said, facing Gendry this time, her hands on her hips and her expression every bit as stubborn as the rest of her brothers. "I know we've tried the obvious places she might run off to, but wrack that brain of yours and think of somewhere she'd go if she's upset. _Think. Hard."_

Gendry almost flinched at her terse words. He didn't even know she could be as stubborn and headstrong as she is right now, considering she's such a dainty, graceful, girly girl. He wanted to say a lot of things, but he decided to just shut his mouth because nothing would be acceptable for the Starks except to find Arya.

Besides, he's partly to blame.

"I think I know where she is," he said as he got up to find her on his own.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: I've gotten mixed reviews for the last chapter. I wanted to explain why I wrote it as such, but I realized I don't really have to. I'll just make this better than the last and keep my fingers crossed that it's worth reading this time. **

**For the SanSan and JoffSan question, I've gotten a Willas/Sansa request too and now I'm confused hahaha. But I'll figure something out. As for the jealous Gendry requests, I'll make it worth the wait. Remember, Uni's starting soon and Arya's a new face! And the Gendrya smut requests…hahaha. They can't just keep rutting like bulls, come on guys (even if I secretly want them to)! But they'll come, don't worry. PUN INTENDED J**

**Thank you again for the reviews and for bearing with my shipper feels. GRRM, you the man.**

* * *

Gendry found Arya under her favorite acorn tree. She was sitting there; arms hugging her legs, chin propped on her knees. She looked so small; smaller than usual, with her body hunched over. He could see she had the saddest look on her face, at least what little he saw of it from a distance. He wanted to watch her from afar before he goes over to fetch her.

She was playing with the grass by her feet, tugging a few before letting the slight breeze blow them further away. Gendry slowly walked over, at a ready this time just in case she jumps up and runs away again. Seeing a shadow loom over her, blocking what little sunlight there was left, she lifted her head to check who it was. She propped her chin back on her knees, making Gendry think that she's still pissed. She surprised him by reaching her hand out to him, even as she continued to sit there staring at her feet. Gendry immediately took her hand and sat beside her on the grass.

"What happened, Arya?" he asked after a while. He looked at her, carefully watched her as she still played with the grass but giving his other hand a squeeze, as if asking for some reassurance that he's still holding it. Gendry gave it a squeezed it back before shifting to let his fingers thread through hers. He heard her sigh.

"I'm sorry," she muttered under her breath. "I have no idea, but it's several things clumped as one or I don't know, really…"

"There must be a reason? I mean, I honestly don't know what I did wrong, but I will admit to staring at Dany longer than I should have, so maybe that's what has you so pissed at me? And the way I handled it back in the car, I shouldn't have met your anger with my own. But I'm sorry about that, if it pissed you off. I just want you to know that you don't need to get into these little fits of jealousy. There's no cause for that, Arya."

She finally looked up, shifting to face him this time. "I'm sorry, Gen. I overreacted earlier. Remember that guy who struck a conversation with Sansa? I'm used to that, really. That people see me only after they see my sister. So I get these little bouts of jealousy over my sister from time to time, although it's nothing serious. And then Dany walks in, in all her _unburnt mother of fucking shit _and _trueborn queen my ass _and _lady of the seven most whatever_ glory, and I just couldn't push that jealous feeling away. And you _were_ ogling her, as you admit."

"You know I love you, right?" he asked in all seriousness, his brows drawn together in deep thought.

"Yes," she mumbled.

"Then you should know by now that jealousy would get you nowhere because there is _nothing to be jealous about_, not with anyone. Do you understand that now?" he asked, putting stress on the _nothing to be jealous about_ part.

"I'm sorry," she said again, this time looking him in the eyes. "We're good?"

"Always," Gendry said, placing a small peck on her nose.

"What was that?" Arya asked, her nose wrinkling in disapproval. "That wasn't even worth calling a make-up kiss."

"Ahh," Gendry said as he tilted his head upon realization. "So you're just trying to get in fights with me so you could get make-up kisses."

"I was actually aiming for make-up sex," she laughed, but Gendry's eyes darkened at the thought of make-up sex. "Okay, loverboy," she said as she got up, dusting the grass off her pant legs. "I assume my brothers are about to start a war, so let's get us home."

* * *

Jon ran his hands through his curly black hair as he walked quietly down the stairs in hopes of finding some leftover dinner in the fridge. He was hungry now because he and Robb were too busy telling off Arya and Gendry about their little drama earlier than to eat dinner.

He was surprised to find Arya eating a slice of cake in the kitchen, Nymeria sleeping on the floor beside her. "Why aren't you asleep?"

"Can't sleep," Arya said as she took a forkful of chocolate cake into her mouth. "What are you doing up?"

"My stomach's protesting," Jon explained. "I think I just dreamed of a giant pizza chasing me down the entire length of Trident Avenue. What? Don't laugh! It's not even funny! This freak pizza has arms and legs, like fucking arms and legs, Ar! It's like _Garbage Pail Kids_ back when it was still being shown on Saturday morning cartoons!"

Arya couldn't stop laughing. She could just imagine a giant meatlover's pizza, with strings of cheese hanging from its sides, while it chased her brother down Trident Avenue. "I'm sorry," she said in between bursts of laughter. "That was the most amazing picture in my head right now. Did it come with chili pepper flakes?"

"Not funny!" Jon said, although he was trying to bite the side of his cheek to keep from laughing.

They fell silent when the laughter died down. Reaching over to his sister's plate, he grabbed the fork and took a huge slice of the cake to put in his mouth. Arya did not protest at all and just gave him a lopsided grin. They don't get to bond over midnight snacks in the kitchen since her brothers left Winterfell, and now that she's here, it's either she's with Gendry or Jon's busy being annoyed at them both.

"Seriously, Arya," Jon started with a serious tone. "If you're going to fight with your boyfriend, don't do it in public. I've learned that long ago. Remember when I was still with Ygritte? She used to pick fights with me all the time, where it got the point where we were having shouting matches at a restaurant. Then she started getting overly jealous over everyone I cross paths with, it started getting crazy. It bothered me so much that I finally decided to call it quits. You know how that went."

"Totally," Arya said softly. She was playing with the fork and melted icing, drawing swirly patterns on the plate. She knew Jon loved Ygritte as much as she did Gendry now, but it was one of the darkest times in Jon's life. And it may probably be the reason why he swore off dating for a while.

"Are you ready for Uni?" Jon asked as he changed topics. He walked over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. "Media and Communications sound like a pretty exciting course."

"You know how I'm bad with numbers," she responded, her eyes widening a bit in disgust. "Bran's the mathematician. I'm just better with words."

Jon snorted. "Well, obviously."

"Hahaha, very funny, Stark," Arya said as she threw her brother a mock glare. "You feel like eating the last of this?" She asked as she pointed to the last small piece of cake on the plate. Jon reached over to steal it from the plate and into his mouth.

"I figure Drogo's not going to be very happy with you eating calorie-filled cakes in the middle of the night," Arya teased as she got her own bottle of water from the fridge. "Imagine wasting all the time, effort and money at the gym when you're only going to take quick forays into the kitchen in the middle of the night."

"Okay, Ellen Degeneres," Jon said, placing his hands on Arya's shoulders to steer her out of the kitchen. "Your comedy timing's a bit wonky because it's 1 am and normal people usually sleep at 1 am. Yes, I know. I'm not normal like you. We're Starks, after all."

Arya laughed. She took Jon by surprise when she suddenly turned towards him and encircled her arms around his waist. She pressed her face onto his shirt and inhaled his scent which was actually just the fabric softener. It was all male, very clean and comforting.

It smells like every childhood memory of Jon she had back in Winterfell.

"Thank you," Arya muttered, her words muffled by Jon's shirt.

"For what?" he asked.

"For just being you," she answered softly. "Overprotective big brother, grumpy friend and annoying human-pizza hybrid," she joked, reminding him of his nightmare earlier.

"You hang out with Gendry too much," Jon said. "The guy's a big ball of cheese and you're starting to turn into one. Go on back to bed, get some sleep."

Jon watched as she took the stairs two at a time, chuckling to herself. Nymeria was following at her heels, her paws padding softly up the wooden steps as quietly as her master did. Jon called out softly to Arya and said with a goofy grin, "You're welcome."

* * *

Gendry looked at the alarm clock on his bedside table. The numbers blared loudly in red, indicating that the time was 1:30 in the morning. Blaming the coffee and chocolate cake he had after dinner, he was now paying for it by tossing and turning in bed. Completely giving up on sleep, he reached over for the remote beside the clock and switched the TV on. After two rounds of channel-surfing, he settled for an old Robin Williams-Ethan Hawke starrer, _Dead Poets Society_.

He was surprised to hear his phone beeping for an incoming message. Grinning to himself, he knew that there is only one person who would send a text in the wee hours of the morning.

_Arya: Can't sleep._

His fingers quickly tapped a response.

_Gendry: Me too._

His phone beeped not one minute later.

_Arya: You're awake!_

_Gendry: Too much coffee and chocolate cake._

_Arya: I just had cake._

_Gendry: What? Why didn't you text me earlier?_

_Arya: Jon was with me._

_Gendry: Everything okay?_

_Arya: Yeah. Just some sibling bonding._

_Gendry: That's good._

_Arya: Actually, he said I'm turning into a cheeseball like you._

_Gendry: Hey! There's not enough cheese going on in this house._

_Arya: Why are we even texting when you're just down the hall?_

Gendry let out a soft chuckle, muttering, "_Is that an invitation?"_ although he didn't send that. His eyes went back to the TV screen right at the moment where Robin Williams' character John Keating was teaching Ethan Hawke's character how to give a _barbaric yawp_. He watched the scene for a while, remembering the first time he saw this movie.

_Carpe diem_, the saying was repeated over and over in the movie. _Seize the day_, it meant. Feeling very much like John Keating at the moment, he typed a reply to Arya's last text.

_Gendry: Wanna snuggle?_

Her response came mere seconds later.

_Arya: Are you asking for a real snuggle or just something else?_

_Gendry: Just wanna snuggle._

_Arya: HOW VIRGINAL_

_Gendry: Get your ass in here!_

_Arya: Aren't you the romantic._

_Gendry: I'm counting to 10…_

The door opened and closed, as Arya crept in quietly. Gendry watched as she tiptoed her way to the bed, flinging the covers aside for her until she settled in with him. Arya covered his mouth with her hand when he started laughing.

"Quiet, stupid!"

"That was fast."

"I was planning to bust your door even before you asked for a snuggle."

"So I had you at snuggle?"

"Actually, you had me at _get your ass in here_."

"Sexy ass."

"I know."

"Snuggle time."

Arya turned to her side, her back facing his front. Gendry flung his arm around her waist, his hand creeping under her shirt and positioning it to span the smooth flatness of her tummy. Their legs were entangled under the covers, his right thigh going between hers from the back. He buried his nose within the wild disarray of her long, brown hair and inhaled the scent of her fruity shampoo. He felt her sigh and relax; her back molding comfortably into his front as if they were two parts of the same person.

"Sleepy time," Arya yawned, snuggling deeper under the covers.

* * *

"Have you seen Arya?" Robb asked Sansa as soon as she walked inside the kitchen. "Renly's coming over to take you girls and Cersei out shopping. I haven't seen her since I woke up."

"Have you checked her room?" Sansa asked, taking the seat next to Jon in the breakfast nook.

"I haven't," Robb admitted, pausing a moment from spreading cream cheese on his bagel.

"She's probably still asleep," Jon said as he took out the carton of orange juice from the fridge. He crossed over to the cabinets, reaching inside to take a glass before joining the others. "I couldn't sleep last night and I went down to find something to eat. She was already devouring the last slice of cake when I got here."

"You were up in the middle of the night? Why?" Sansa asked.

"Weird ass freak pizza nightmare," Jon said nonchalantly, taking a big gulp of his orange juice.

"What?" said Robb and Sansa at the same time.

Jon waved his hand in dismissal. "Nothing. You want me to check on Arya?"

"Cersei wants you girls ready in two hours," Robb pointed to Sansa before turning to Jon. "I'll go up and check on her. I'm done with breakfast anyway," he said as he took his plate and drinking glass and put it in the sink. "You coming with us this afternoon for _paintball_? I'm meeting up with the guys at _Varys_. Not sure if anyone else is coming."

"Yeah," Jon answered. "Just need to check something at _Tobho's_ for my car. I'll meet you guys there. San, maybe when you girls are done you could meet up with us at _Varys_? We're meeting up with Gendry, Joff and Theon and a few friends. You'll get to meet a few of our friends. Sandor and Willas will be there."

Sansa shrugged. "Sure. I'll tell Cersei."

"Alrighty, then," Robb said as he grabbed his phone and keys from the table. "I'll go check on Arya. I haven't seen Gendry, either, so I might as well check up on him too. He's probably still in bed."

"Later, bro," Jon called out.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: You'll notice some changes to the new characters, but i hope that's okay. Not much to say except that I enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope you guys like it as much as I did.**

**Thank you, Imagine Dragons, for keeping me inspired by the game part. **

**And as usual, GRRM rocks.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

Gendry woke up to sunlight streaming in his bedroom window. He glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table and groaned when he realized he had overslept. Lying back for another minute more, he pressed the heel of his hand to his eyes and applied a little pressure on his closed lids. He would have rolled out of bed until he felt movement on his right side.

_Jesus Christ on a bicycle! Arya!_

He shifted to his side and leaned a bit to check if she was still asleep. He knew he should be waking her up now, just in case anyone notices that both of them are still abed. But she looked so peaceful lying there; her long, dark, thick lashes fanning her cheeks; her soft pink lips looked so inviting that Gendry had to look away for a while.

_Control, Gendry. Control._

He didn't resist the urge, however, to tuck the few stray tendrils of hair behind her ears. Ears that he loved to kiss and bite and…

_Control, Gendry. Control._

She stirred when she felt his touch, seemingly startled for a bit before realizing where she was. She gave him a shy smile and that which he returned with the same. She extended her arms and legs to a stretch, moaning a little at the feeling of waking languid muscles into alertness. Gendry thinks he made a noise in the back of his throat that may or may not be equivalent to a groan, because he thinks Arya's moan may be the best sound he's heard since Joffrey's sobbing after Drogo's work out. And maybe _he did _groan because Arya pressed a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"Good morning," she said in her sleep-husky voice and a smirk on her face.

"And good morning to you too," he whispered, leaning in to nuzzle the soft skin of her neck.

Arya laughed. "No…I meant _good morning_ to you."

And suddenly, he felt her small hand grab his crotch, and felt immediately embarrassed when he realized she meant his morning hard-on. She laughed a bit lourder this time, and Gendry had to put his lips back on her neck to distract her from laughing more at his expense.

"You're so mean," he mumbled, placing soft, wet nips on her neck. She gasped when he reached her collarbone, nudging her shirt away with his lips so he could kiss her further down.

"Am not…" she gasped as she felt him place a soft kiss on the top of her breast. She gently grabbed his head and ran her fingers through his raven black, sleep-tousled hair. "Gen…"

_KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Gendry and Arya froze and stared at each other. "Someone's at the door,"' Arya whispered.

"I know! I heard it, Arya," Gendry whispered back, his panic evident with his tone.

"Oh god! Oh god! Oh god! Gen!" Arya whispered again as she started to climb out of the bed. "Where are my shorts?"

Gendry bolted out of his bed and helped Arya find her shorts. They were trying not to make a noise as they grabbed the duvet, hands grabbing under to search for her shorts. Arya found them when she leaned over the bed, the blue material of her shorts peeking from under the bed. "Got it!" she whispered as she waved it for him to see before pulling it up and over her legs.

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

"Gendry? Are you up?"

Arya's eyes widened. "Robb!" she mouthed to Gendry, pointing a finger to the door for emphasis.

Gendry ran his hand through his hair before realizing that he wouldn't be able to hide Arya in the room except in the bathroom, under the bed and inside the closet. _Fuck minimalist bedroom décor_!

Gendry strode over to Arya to direct her to the bathroom. Realizing that the shower stall is just glass, it would be useless to hide Arya there. She might just have to stay in the bathroom until Robb leaves.

"Baratheon! I'm going to kick your door open if you don't unlock this door in 5…4…3…"

Gendry closed the door to the bathroom and rushed to the door before Robb could kick it down. "I'm up! I'm up! Jesus, Stark!" he said as he unlocked and opened the door.

"It's 9:30, bro," Robb said, placing his hands on his hips. He surveyed the room, as if searching for something, and Gendry felt his throat dry up. "We're meeting up with the guys at _Varys_ for paintball, remember? You're the only one still in bed. Get your ass in the shower and be ready in 15 minutes."

"Fine," Gendry said, as he pictured pushing Robb out of the room in his head. "I'll be down in 15."

Robb was staring at something at the foot of the bed, and Gendry saw him shake his head a bit. "Make it fast," Robb added before stepping out.

Gendry heaved a deep sigh of relief. He quickly crossed over to the bathroom to tell Arya that her brother is gone and that it would be safe to come out now. He entered the bathroom to find her sitting on the closed lid of the toilet, looking incredibly nervous and uneasy.

"He's gone," Gendry said, pulling Arya to her feet and kissing her forehead. "We can't make the same mistake again, Ar. Did you forget to set the alarm?"

"I told you it was sleepy time," Arya rolled her eyes. "Why didn't you set the alarm?"

"Snuggle time," he said. "Come on. I need to go shower and you need to go back to your room in case Robb checks in on you."

"Rain check?" Arya said, wiggling her brows to tease him.

"Rain check," Gendry replied. He pulled her to him and placed a quick kiss on her lips.

"Hmm…interesting."

Arya and Gendry jumped up in surprise. Their heads whipped around at the same time and saw Robb standing there by the doorway, one side leaning on the doorjamb and arms folded across his chest.

"Robb…" Arya said, not even knowing what to say.

Robb studied her; his eyes moving from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, before moving back to her bare legs. _At least she's wearing shorts_, he thought. Robb looked at her face last, raising his brows in question.

"Were you here all night?" he asked his sister.

"Ahh…well…"

"Arya Lyanna Stark," Robb said, his voice turning into a low growl. "Did you spend the night here?"

Arya's demeanor changed from surprised to defensive. She tilted her chin and placed her hands on her hips. "So?"

"So you did spend the night here?"

"It's none of your business, Robb."

"But it's my business if my friend is doing _business_ with my sister!"

"She did spend the night here," Gendry quipped, earning an angry glare from Arya. "What?" he answered back. "You're here. Why not just state the obvious?"

"Yes, why not, Arya?" Robb dared.

"We didn't do anything," Gendry said. He rubbed his nape to ease the tension he felt. "We just literally slept together."

"Fully-clothed," Arya said, nodding vigorously.

Robb studied them for a few minutes, but for Gendry, it felt more like hours. Finally easing up on the glare, he pointed a finger at his sister. "You're both lucky it was me who found you here. If it were Jon…"

Gendry shuddered at the thought.

Robb said to Arya, "Go back to your room and get ready. Cersei and Renly are taking you out shopping. Sansa will tell you what's on the agenda for today. Go!"

They watched as Arya left quickly without a backward glance. Then Robb stepped closer to Gendry, taking up his personal space as Robb gave his chest a hard push. "That's my sister you're fucking, man! What if you get her pregnant, for fuck's sake!"

"It's not _fucking_, bro! Chill!" Gendry replied as he tried to regain his balance.

"So you admit you've _slept _with Arya?"

"Robb…"

"So you have?"

"Jesus Christ," Gendry muttered under his breath. "What do you think?"

"I think you're a dead man walking, Baratheon," Robb replied. "But be thankful that it wasn't Jon who found you both here. You know how he's twice as protective of Arya as I am! What the fuck, man…"

"We don't _fuck_, Robb. I love Arya. It's not like that when we do it. I'd say making love-"

"Okay, stop," Robb said, quickly turning his back on Gendry and striding to the door. "I don't need to know the details. Can you just get your ass in the shower? We're leaving in 30 minutes, with or without you."

"Thanks, Robb," Gendry said before Robb closed the door. "I know it's hard for you to admit-"

"Get in the shower. Your 30 minutes starts now."

* * *

"Gorgeous!"

Renly exclaimed as Sansa stepped out of the dressing room. They were staring at her as she studied herself in the mirror, seeing how beautifully the green halter dress clung to her body. The color matched perfectly with her fiery red hair and flawless skin, as if it was specifically made with her in mind.

"Turn! Turn!" Cersei said, making twirling motions with her finger. She was like a beaming mother, proud to see her daughter wearing a dress as perfectly fitting as one can imagine.

Arya looked at Sansa and knew that she was always the pretty one. _She will forever be the pretty one_, she thought. She knows she shouldn't be thinking about it, but having lived under someone's shadow for so long, she wonders if she'll ever get out of it and be _just Arya_.

"Arya? What do you think?" Sansa asked her, a hopeful look showing on her face.

Arya pasted a smile on her face and said, "You look beautiful, San."

Arya got a wide grin for that.

"At least one Stark girl loves dresses," Renly said, smirking in Arya's direction.

"Hey! I love dresses, just not as sexy and girly as how Sansa prefers them."

"I'd love to buy that dress for you, my dear," Renly said as he signaled to the store staff to wrap it up. He walked over to the cashier and handed her his card. Sansa quickly rushed over, pleading that she could pay for it herself and that Renly does not need to buy her anything.

"It would be my pleasure to spend money on you, honey. I've tried with Arya, believe me. I've only been successful a few times, and it was only under threats in relation to my nephew."

Sansa blushed as she gave Renly a smile. "Thank you, Renly. If Cersei were Queen, you'd be King Renly."

"Stop that! I'm not going to die today, no need to sing me praises just yet," Renly said with a wave of his hand.

"No one wants anyone to die!" Sansa said with a laugh.

Renly's eyes widened with mock sarcasm. "Not unless a huge, dark mass of killer shadow whatever sweeps over me and kills me," he said with a dramatic shudder.

"What?" Arya, Sansa and Cersei asked all at the same time, looking as confused as confused can be.

Renly rolled his eyes. "Don't mind me. I just read too much."

"What about you, Arya? Why don't you try on this gorgeous dress?" Cersei said to Arya, holding up a red cocktail dress that Arya immediately loved. The dress is strapless, with a bunched tiered skirt that would probably fall just to her knees, with a laced-hem detail that added a nice touch to it. She knew the color would look good on her skin, but she doubted she had a need to wear a dress as such anytime soon.

"I…I don't think there's anywhere to go to that would require me wearing a beautiful dress like that," Arya said quietly. "That would be a total waste of money, Cersei."

Cersei thrust the dress closer to her, her eyes silently demanding that Arya take it. "Go ahead. Try it on."

Arya came out of the dressing room a moment later, much to the delight and surprise of her three companions.

"Oh my god! Arya!" Sansa squealed in delight as Arya trudged slowly towards them.

"Yes, oh my god, Arya. Your posture is just appalling. Stand straight, will you?" Renly said, holding Arya's shoulders and pulling them back a bit to correct her posture. "There, there! Okay, that dress looks amazing on you! If you slouch one more time, I'm sending you to my good friend Brienne, who actually owns a personality development school."

Arya rolled her eyes at him, waving her hands in mock surrender. "I'm shaking."

"Ring it up, please," Cersei said to the girl at the cashier.

"Cersei…" Arya said, grabbing her elbow before she could take out her wallet. "I…I can pay for this. I have money."

"Nonesense! If Renly had the pleasure of buying something for this little dove right here, allow me the pleasure to buy something for my little wolf."

Arya didn't let up on her hold of Cersei's arm.

"You can buy me ice cream on the way to _Varys_, if that would make you feel better. And speaking of _Varys_, I think we have to bring the girls over now, Renly? Gendry's going to kill me if I keep Arya for much longer."

"My nephew is a horny bastard who can't keep his hands off his girlfriend, but yes, let's not keep them from that ridiculous paintball game," Renly said, earning a smack on the arm from an embarrassed Arya. "Did you just smack my arm, Arya Stark?"

"Oh my god, I'm sorry!" Arya said in between bursts of laughter. "Couldn't help myself."

"Let's go, Sansa," he said, hooking his arm with Sansa's as they walked to the shop entrance, shopping bags in tow. "I just realized that your sister has violent tendencies, hmm?"

Sansa and Cersei laughed, making Arya turn even more beet red.

* * *

_Varys_ was the ultimate paintball game field. The guys had been going to _Varys_ to play paintball, enough for them to know the guy who runs the place.

Well, his name _is_ Varys.

"You guys still waiting for someone?" the short, stocky, bald owner asked the guys as they waited by the reception area.

"My sisters are playing with us," Jon replied. "One of them's visiting from the Vale."

"Oooh. I've been there once," Varys said, his tone with a slight creepiness that always left Jon wondering if the guy was effeminate or just plain creepy. "Sadly, I found the place to be dreary and glum that I begged my mother to send me back to King's Landing after just a month."

"She's studying dance at _The Vale School of the Creative Arts_," Jon recited, as if reading the brochure Sansa once thrust to his nose for him to read.

"Ahh. We have a ballerina?"

"Basically everything related to dancing," Robb said, joining the conversation.

"Hey, Gen! Did you tell them to meet us at 3? They're about 10 minutes late now," Joffrey asked, as he sat there fiddling with his phone.

"I did, so shut up and wait for a bit," Gendry replied.

He was holding up a mask that he thinks would fit Arya, smiling a bit when he thinks that she would have a fun time shooting at people with paintball guns. She never ceases to surprise him with her being so unpredictable; like she could be tough and kick ass at one time and soft and girly at another. He loved both sides of her, although he never told her that he once in a while wishes she'd dress up for him more. Not that there's anything wrong with her fashion sense.

"Sorry, we're late!" Arya called out as she traipsed through the entrance and straight into Gendry's arms. She pressed a soft kiss on his lips, in front of everyone to see, and she looked as if she didn't mind or didn't care that her brothers and sister were there.

"Hello to you too," Gendry whispered when they pulled back, smiling as she stared at him with an equally silly expression on her face.

"Sansa!" Robb signaled for her to come over. "I'll introduce you to the guys. Arya! Untangle yourself from your boyfriend for a while so I could introduce the guys, for fuck's sake!"

"You know," Arya said, wagging her finger in Robb and Jon's direction. "You guys seriously need to get laid."

The rest of the guys cracked up in laughter, much to the annoyance of Robb and Jon. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. Wait till you check out Jon's hot date on Saturday, " Robb said with a nudge to Jon's side. He earned a nudge back for the comment.

"Ooh! Interesting! Anyone we know?" Sansa teased.

Jon mumbled a response that sounded something like _none of your business_ or a growl, they couldn't actually tell.

"Guys, these are my sisters Arya and Sansa," Robb said, pointing to each girl. "Girls, these are our friends Sandor Clegane and Willas Tyrell."

"Tyrell? Are you related to Loras?" Arya interrupted Robb's introduction.

"He's my cousin," Willas said with a smile.

Arya nodded, finally seeing the resemblance between the two. He was good looking too, now that she thinks about it. Sandy blond hair, soft eyes, although there was a more masculine aura to him than Loras. She knew he would be Sansa's type, and when Arya looked over to her sister, she found Sansa studying him too.

"I assume that your dancer sister would be this one?" Varys said, placing a hand to a startled Sansa's shoulder.

Robb laughed. "You catch on quick."

"What does that mean?" Arya asked Robb as she threw him an annoyed glare.

"Nothing!" he said, fighting back another laugh. "Come on! Let's play paintball!"

"OH MY GOD!" Arya exclaimed suddenly, startling everyone in the room, including the person who has just walked into the reception area.

They all turned to look at the newcomer, and suddenly Robb, Jon, Theon and Sansa were all waving at him. Gendry noticed that Arya looked as giddy as a school girl; excitedly clapping her hands and jumping in place as the guy walked towards them.

_Huh_.

The Starks gave him hugs, as if they were long-lost friends reunited after a long time. _Who the fuck is this?_ Gendry thought, as he saw the guy pull Arya in for a hug, lifting her until her feet were no longer touching the floor. She was laughing; a bubbly laughter coming out of her that he hasn't heard from her before.

_Okay. Who the fuck is this guy?_

"Guys, this is Edric Dayne," Arya said, as she and this Edric guy clung to each other. Her arm was around his waist, and because of height difference, he has his arm around her shoulders.

_What the-_

The Starks introduced this Edric guy (Gendry would keep calling him that, for all he cares) to everyone, and later learned that he recently moved to King's Landing to attend King's Landing University. He just wanted to check out _Varys_ and found himself invited to play with them. Arya practically squealed in delight, and Gendry suddenly felt the urge to punch someone.

Someone who had blond hair and dark blue eyes.

"Gen!" Arya said, breaking into Gendry's internal battle for anger management. "This is a good friend of ours, Edric Dayne. Edric, this is my boyfriend Gendry Baratheon."

_Huh. At least she cleared that out._

Edric held a hand out to him for a handshake. Gendry took it, not wanting to appear annoyed or anything in front of everyone. He only grunted in response, making Arya roll her eyes in exasperation. Gendry only stared at her, as if asking her to elaborate on her _relationship_ with this Edric guy.

"Aaaaand the green-eyed monster is out," Joffrey whispered as he passed by Gendry. He was wearing his famous Joffrey smirk, and never in Gendry's life had he wanted to wipe that smirk off his brother's face with a hard punch to the mouth.

"Shut up," Gendry growled low in his throat.

As is usual, they signed waivers, listened to the orientation, and chose the necessary gear they would be wearing. Gendry helped Arya choose and wear hers, and Arya noticed how silent he has become. With a worried look to her, she covered his hand with hers when he handed the mask to her.

"Hey," she whispered. "You okay?"

"Fine," he mumbled.

Arya raised her perfectly-shaped brows. "You're awfully quiet."

"I'm fine," he said, a little louder this time, but it actually came out as curt and angry. Realizing that he snapped at her when he saw the surprised look on her face, he pulled Arya towards him, earning a gasp from her.

His face was inches from hers, making her breath hitch at her throat. "You're mine," Gendry growled soft and low, and Arya's knees turned to butter. Without another word, he kissed her, hard and deep and needy. He would have gone on if he hadn't heard the catcalls and whistles from the rest, and a few mumbled curses that he assumed were from her brothers.

When he pulled back, Arya stood there dumbstruck, her eyes not leaving his as they stared at each other for more than necessary.

"Uh, hello? Paintball game?" Joffrey said, daring to stand closer to them to catch their attention. "We have a game to get to so all other mushy, fluffy, cheesy stuff should come after."

"Where's my mask?" Gendry said when he turned to Joffrey, who quickly handed him the mask. When Gendry turned and saw Edric standing there, watching them with a surprised look, he called out to Joffrey again without looking away from Edric. "And my gun. Where's my gun?"

* * *

"Your boyfriend hates me," Edric said to Arya as they stood behind the bunker.

"He does not! Why would you say that?" Arya asked, an incredulous expression showing on her face.

They were divided into two teams. The first was Gendry, Arya, Robb, Theon and Edric. The second was Jon, Joffrey, Sansa, Sandor and Willas. Robb led this group while Jon led the other, making jeers and funny trash talk between the two groups. Gendry kept Arya stuck to his side, but had to leave for a while when Robb, Jon and Varys called for him about some more game guidelines. He wasn't pleased by it, silently pleading to Theon to keep her away from that Edric guy. Theon was only amused by this show of jealousy from Gendry and kept to his own business, opting to watch his cousin and their friend interact as soon as Gendry left.

"He's a little…aggressive," Edric said with a shrug and apologetic look on his face.

Arya only laughed in response. "He can be at times, but he's not a bully or anything!"

"He looks at me funny," Edric added.

"Well, you're the first person I run into that I actually know from Winterfell. He'd be intrigued, I guess."

"More like jealous."

"Gendry? Jealous? Gendry Baratheon doesn't do jealous. He doesn't have a jealous bone in his body."

"Maybe you didn't know he had a jealous bone in his body until today."

"That's stupid, Edric! He's not the type to get jealous. I'm not some supergoddess who could make a boyfriend jealous over some other guy! If it were Sansa, then probably. But nope, not for me."

Edric threw back his head and laughed. "How about we test that theory?"

"How about no?" Arya said with a grin.

"Okay, kids. Here comes loverboy," an amused Theon said as he stood to meet the guys. "We good?"

Robb nodded, but Gendry remained silent. He tugged Arya back to his side, though, and Edric raised his brows at Arya as if to say _told ya!_

"You guys ready? Gear okay? You got the rules of the game, yeah? Arya, don't be nervous, alright. Have fun out there," Robb instructed to the group.

Getting into positions behind the bunker, Robb cupped one hand to his mouth and shouted, "GAME ON!"

* * *

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" Sansa chanted under her breath as she heard the shots fired. They were spread out in their side of the field, but for some reason, Joffrey was crouching with her behind the bunker.

"Relax," he huffed. "Get your head in the game!"

"I don't want anyone to shoot my head!" Sansa cried out.

Joffrey rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean that literally!"

More shots were fired. Sansa jumped with each shot she heard; still not getting used to the sound even after 15 minutes into the game.

"Stop jumping in fright! We have to move on up the field, we can't stay here for the entire game!" Joffrey said, taking a few shots out there before ducking again.

They heard Theon shout out, "Hit! I'm hit!" Joffrey and Sansa peered from behind the bunker, seeing Theon walk out to the dead zone with his hands and gun above his head. He looked pissed for getting eliminated early, but it was an advantage to their team because the other one has just lost a member.

"See that stack of tires over there? See? That's Sandor over there. Run towards that bunker and I'll cover for you. No one's shooting at us so they're probably focused on someone else."

Sansa's eyes widened in fright. She looked at the next bunker and saw Sandor looking at theirs. She noticed that Joffrey was sending a signal to Sandor, to which the bigger guy nodded in understanding.

"Okay, I'll start shooting from this side and you run as fast as you can, alright?"

"Ah…oh my god…okay!"

"Sansa?"

"Yes, Joff?"

"Don't get hit."

* * *

"Paint check! Paint check!" Willas cried out from behind the tree he was crouched at. Jon was nearest to him and checked his back to where Willas was pointing at.

"That's just a splatter," Jon said as he inspected the shirt some more. "Fuck!"

"What?"

"This one's solid, bro," Jon muttered.

Calling out to the referees that he'd been hit, Willas walked towards the dead zone to where Theon was, who was still bummed over his early exit from the game.

"Who hit you?" Theon asked with a laugh.

"I think it was fucking Baratheon," he said glumly as he took off his mask. "Gendry's a pretty tough competition at paintball."

"I think he's been practicing for when the Starks decide to murder him because of their sister."

"So…is she seeing anyone?" Willas asked.

Theon squinted his eyes. "She's Gendry's girlfriend, you dumbass. Don't even think about it. Baratheon's got a pretty good trigger finger."

"I wasn't talking about Arya."

Realization dawned on Theon and he chuckled. "Sansa? Good luck with that."

"I love a challenge," Willas said with a goofy grin on his handsome face.

"You've obviously haven't talked to Gendry yet, haven't you? Go on and ask him how he's faring with the Stark brothers. That'll probably be a good therapy session for him too."

"_That_ bad?"

Theon shrugged. "Not really. Jon's the worst, though. In his head, Arya's still this little girl who begs him for candies and chocolates past her bedtime and pleads to death until he tucks her into bed. _That_ is the Arya Jon has stuck in her mind, not this extremely pretty 17 year-old who's about to start University."

"Ah."

Just then, they heard more shots from across the field, until a glum-looking Robb came out with his hands and gun over his head. Theon and Willas rolled on the grass, laughing their heads off, as an annoyed Robb sat beside them.

"Don't even think about it," Robb muttered, taking a swig of water from his bottle.

"You were supposed to be the leader, man!" Theon cried out with the hilarity of it.

"Fuck you," was all Robb could say in response.

* * *

"Psst! Arya!" Edric signaled to her from behind his bunker.

He could see Arya trying to peer from behind hers, checking out where she could run to next. Gendry was to her left and Edric was to her right. She looked over to her boyfriend and saw him signaling to her to get behind the bunker with him. Then she looked over to him, studying how far his bunker was compared with Gendry's.

"Arya!" Gendry shouted in between shots heard.

Arya looked left to right, seemingly confused as to where to go, and she knew time was running out. She needs to make her move now, unless she wants the opponents to catch her while she was still unable to make her decision.

She wanted to run to Gendry, but Jon and Joffrey were shooting at him now. She can't possibly run to his side now, can't she? That would be stupid and suicidal. She took one last look at Gendry, seeing that he was occupied with firing back at the others, and ran as fast as she could towards Edric's bunker.

"Good job!" Edric whispered, crouching next to her as she tried to catch her breath.

"HIT! I'M HIT! I'M HIT!"

Arya's heart beat fast when she saw that Gendry was walking towards the dead zone; paint splatter on his arm and a deathly dangerous frown on his face. He looked at them as he passed by, and Arya could practically feel his growl as if it was vibrating off her skin.

"GAME ON!" Robb shouted to signal that Gendry was safely in the dead zone, and that the game may resume.

Feeling a little angry that her boyfriend was eliminated, she felt freshly-motivated and started shooting at the opponents. She and Edric kept up with the firing of shots; hiding behind bunkers and crawling over the grass and weeds and crouching behind trees as they moved on up in the field. As if for added motivation, the speakers started blaring out _Imagine Dragons' Radioactive_, making them all really get into the game.

More shots were fired until Jon and Joffrey were out, leaving her and Edric versus Sandor and Sansa.

_Wait, what? Sansa?_

She was momentarily distracted until she finally realized that Edric was shouting to everyone that he was hit. Arya had a moment of panic when she realized that it was just her, Sandor and Sansa left.

_Woah_

_Woah_

_I'm radioactive_

_Radioactive_

The speakers blared out the song, jolting Arya out of her temporary trance. She could hear the guys at the dead zone shouting out instructions, mild taunts and excited cheers. In her head, she could hear Gendry cheering for her; or maybe it was real, she didn't know. She was so nervous and excited at the same time; feeling the adrenaline rush through her entire body, making it thrum with excitement.

She crawled to the next bunker; ignoring some fresh new scratches and cuts on her arms. Gendry made sure she had a change of appropriate clothes for the game; handing over an old black hoodie of his for her to wear. It helped a lot to wear the right gear, but she still had cuts and scrapes and she was pretty sure she would be sporting a bruise or two before the day ends.

She peered over her hiding place and aimed for the bunker where Sandor and Sansa were hiding at. She almost laughed out loud when he saw Sandor's leg sticking out a bit. He was probably making sure Sansa was with him and protected the whole time, forgetting that he was actually larger than a stack of tires could hide him. Arya aimed her gun at his leg and held her breath as she took a shot.

It felt awhile for Arya before she heard a shout.

"HIT!"

_Fuck yeah!_

She quickly ran behind a stack of wooden crates, careful not to be seen by her sister, wherever she is now. Sandor walked towards the dead zone where the other guys were. But she shut out the calls from the guys and focused on her game. She didn't plan on losing to Sansa.

_Not today._

* * *

"Shit! Shit!" Sansa muttered as she crawled towards the next hiding place. It was just between her and Arya now, she realized, and she was frightened. Her sister was never one to back down from a competition, and this one was most definitely not Sansa's turf.

Arya started firing shots at her cover; she could feel the splatter of paint on her protective cover. She tried to stop herself from jumping in surprise everytime a shot was fired. She has to get used to this if she wanted to win. Feeling a little braver, she took a shot at Arya and had to duck when Arya started firing back. Sansa could hear the guys cheering for her and her sister both, and now that she's finally getting the hang of it, she realized she hasn't had this much fun in a long time.

Sansa started firing again until she heard the thing she most wanted to hear at that moment.

"I'M HIT! AND IT HURTS LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER! SANSA, YOU BEYOTCH!"

Sansa screamed and ran over to Arya, seeing her glumly slumped behind the bunker with a pissed expression. "I won! I won!"

"Shut up," Arya muttered. "Congratulations, beyotch."

"Thanks, beyotch!"

Her sister hugged her all the same, even if Sansa knew Arya was pissed for losing the game. The guys came running over to them, Robb and Jon hugging Sansa as she shyly thanked them, especially Sandor.

"I didn't know you could kick ass, Stark," Sandor said to her a while later. "Thought it would be the feisty one."

"You doubted my abilities!" Sansa pretended to be shocked.

"Well, your squealing and sobbing weren't really indications of someone who's going to win, but you did well."

"Thanks, Sandor," she said shyly.

"Were you hurt?" Gendry asked Arya when he finally caught up with her.

"It stung like a motherfucker," she replied.

"I was actually talking about your pride," Gendry teased.

"Haha. Very funny, Baratheon. Tell me that when I get to be eliminated first."

That shut Gendry up.

"Hey! You were awesome!" Edric walked over to her, giving her a tight hug.

"Thanks! You were great, too! Didn't know you've played paintball before," Arya replied with a wide grin.

Gendry rolled his eyes. "Come here," he said, tugging the hem of her shirt so she stood closer to him. "That was pretty aggressive."

"Yeah?"

"Uh huh. And kick ass."

"Really now."

Gendry placed his mouth next to her ear as he hugged her tightly to him, placing his hands in each of her jeans' back pockets. "And so fucking hot."

Arya chuckled.

"Um, so…I think we're leaving now," Edric said uneasily, shuffling his feet in embarrassment.

"I know of ways you could channel that aggression," Gendry growled in Arya's ear, completely ignoring Edric.

"I'm sure," she said with a soft laugh.

"Later?" Gendry said, finally pulling away from her a little.

Arya grinned. "Later."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Okay, wow. 27 chapters in. How did it get this far?! Thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows…I didn't think I'd even get 10 reviews when I first posted this story. So we're almost at 200 now and you're all making my Gendrya feels go haywire.**

**Just a bit of a warning: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SMUT. I suggest you skip the part if you're not into that. I still cringe about writing something like this, but my fangirl heart wins every single time. I just try to make it a little more bearable to read, if it even comes to that.**

**And with all the thank yous and disclaimers, GRRM is still the man.**

**ENJOY ;D**

* * *

"Relax…that's it. Make sure your back is resting fully on the floor and your neck and shoulders are relaxed."

Dany's voice was like a soothing balm moving all over Arya's body. She knew that yoga was supposed to be a good way of relaxation, easing the tension in the muscles without giving her more fatigue and overexertion as is usual for a regular work out. But hell, these positions are damn hard to follow!

Today was Arya and Sansa's third session in a week. Despite the seemingly hard positions Dany makes them do (and she calls them basic, for crying out loud), the Stark sisters were somewhat enjoying these sessions so far.

"You think there's a decent yoga instructor back in the Vale?" Sansa mutters under her breath as she keeps her position for the _double leg raise_. "I just might keep at this, you know?"

Dany then asks them to do the _sarvangasana_ or the shoulder stand, much to Arya's frustration. She huffs and puffs her way into the position; lying flat on her back before raising her whole body and making it rest on her shoulders, her arms and hands placed on her back for support. She was trying to concentrate because she could actually feel her abdominal muscles working.

"No…idea…" she said as she huffs some more, grunting a bit as she feels her abdominal muscles crunching from the effort.

"That's it now," Dany said, maintaining her perfect form on the mat. "Work those abdominal muscles, yes…don't forget to breathe properly now."

"Have…to…find…out…" Sansa said with much exertion, squeezing her eyes shut as she feels her muscles working. "Oh my god, I'm so out of shape."

"Shut up!" Arya snaps as Dany makes them move into the _halasana_ position or the plough pose. It was the same as _sarvangasana_, but her legs were extended all the way over her head.

"The _halasana_ streteches your spine," Dany goes on, still with that melodic sing-song voice of hers. It was relaxing, really, especially when she starts to count and Arya can feel herself relax almost to the point of falling asleep. "It will improve the flexibility of your spine. Your thyroid gland and abdomen also benefits from this as it eases the tension on your shoulders and back. Alayne, you might want to relax those abdominal muscles, yes that's it," Dany drones on.

"Hey, maybe your sex life will benefit from this too," Sansa points out to Arya as she keeps the position for a bit longer.

"Do you think I'd be huffing and puffing my way through this class if it wouldn't?"

"Arya, talking will ruin your concentration," Dany called out from the front. "Try to be silent for a few minutes, little wolf."

"I hate when she calls me that!" Arya growls as she lets go of the position for a bit before starting all over again. "She heard Cersei call me that during one of ther sessions."

"Cersei goes here too?" Sansa asked before releasing a deep breath. "Oh gods, this is so hard, somebody kill me now!"

"Huh. Wait till we get to the half spinal twist."

"What?!" Sansa exclaimed much louder than she would have wanted to.

Some of the students started _shushing_ in her direction and Sansa felt her face heat up from embarrassment.

"You Starks are a noisy lot," Dany said, a little irritated now. "The point of this session is to relax, so please, I need you both to be quiet for the duration of the session."

"Sorry," Arya and Sansa muttered the apology.

Dany breathed deeply and exhaled before continuing. "Okay, everybody on your feet now. Come on," she said, as the rest of the class stood on their mats. "This last pose is called _trikonasana_ or the triangle pose." She stretched her legs apart before leaning forward. She placed both hands on the floor before raising one arm, her body twisting towards the direction of her raised hand. The class murmured in awe at her flexibility. After holding the position for a bit, she stood again and motioned for the class to try it.

Sansa and Arya got it pretty quickly, since they were now able to concentrate better on working it rather than spending more energy talking. Arya sneaked a peek at her sister, seeing that she had both her eyes closed in concentration. She then glanced at the other students and almost laughed at the realization that her mind was obviously steering in the wrong direction.

"Psst! Sansa! I bet this would help loads for when Gendry and I finally try it dogstyle," Arya said in a whisper.

Sansa lost control of her balance and the next thing Arya saw and heard was her sister falling on the floor with a loud thud.

"Oh gods, Sansa! Are you alright?" Dany rushed over to Sansa to help her stand.

"I'm good," Sansa mumbled, throwing a death glare towards Arya. "Just lost my balance, is all."

Dany smiled. "It's okay, you'll master this position in no time. Beginners usually fumble through it too, but they get the hang of it with a bit more practice. It is known," she said with a nod of her head. "Okay, that's it for today. I'll see you all at the next session! Have a great day, everyone!"

The others bade each other goodbye; trickling out the door one by one, leaving Dany and the sisters in the room. Dany put her hands on her waist, raising her brows as she faced both sisters. "You both seriously have to start concentrating on your poses and not the chitchat. And yes, Arya, these positions would boost your endurance and flexibility especially in bed," she ended with a wiggle of her brows.

Arya blushed a deep red.

"Trust me," Dany continued. "Drogo loves the _dhanurasana_. Gendry might love it too."

"The dana what?" Arya asked with a tilt of her head.

Dany laughed. "The _dhanurasana_. It's the bow pose, because it resembles an archer's bow. You just have to lie face down like this," Dany went on to demonstrate it. "And then you reach back and hold your ankles like this…"

Arya and Sansa's eyes almost bugged out of their sockets.

"Because if you haven't tried any sexual position that doesn't involve you on your back, you seriously need to try this. It usually works better if you have a pillow or something that would give you a little of an angle to the hips. When Gendry enters you from behind, you just feel every single sensation like oh my god!"

Arya and Sansa were looking everywhere but at Dany.

"Um…great! So…yeah…great session today! We'll see you in the next!" Arya said, her voice going up a pitch higher. "Come on, Sansa!" Arya said, practically dragging her sister towards the door.

"Oh my god! That was embarrassing!" Sansa laughed as they walked towards the locker rooms.

"I know! I wanted to bolt out of there even before she went on to demonstrate it! Although…" Arya said with a smirk. Sansa rolled her eyes when Arya started wiggling her brows. "I think it'd be worth a try…"

"Too much info, hello?" Sansa said, pressing her fingers to her temples. "You're giving me a headache with all the sex and Gendry info I've discovered during my stay here."

"Excuse you. I just heard that Sandor, Willas and of course Joffrey, all have a little Sansa crush going on."

"Whatever, Arya."

"Whatever, Sansa. Come on, I need to practice the _dhanurasana_ with Gendry."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want the kiddie special?" Gendry asked as he handed over the money to the girl behind the counter.

Tommen flashed him his most annoyed glare before turning around in search of a free table. He found one towards the far end of the ice cream shoppe. Gendry has just picked him up for guitar lessons and he decided to spend a bit of time with him since he hasn't done so in the past couple of weeks. Tommen slid inside the booth while Gendry took the seat across him, watching as his little brother fiddled with his phone.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Gen," Tommen said indignantly. "I'm almost a man like you and Joff."

"Are not," Gendry said, trying to hold back laughter. He knew how Tommen hated being treated like a kid, and maybe he had a right to be so. Sometimes, Tommen seemed far more mature than him or Joffrey.

"I hate you," Tommen said, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back.

Gendry didn't hold back the laughter this time. "No you don't. I'm your favorite brother because I drive you around town and I treat you to ice cream shoppes."

"Joffrey does that too."

"But does Joffrey give good advice about girls?"

Tommen tilted his head in thought. "Nah. Joff can't even get Sansa to watch a movie with him."

Gendry laughed harder. "True, true! So," Gendry leaned closer, wiggling his brows suggestively. "Do you have a girlfriend or anyone you'd like to hang out with?"

Tommen turned red. "No," he answered quickly because the waitress started handing out their orders.

"Ha! I know you more than you think, little bro. Do you want girl advice?"

"No!"

"Well you're getting one anyway because I'm giving it to you straight up," Gendry said, leaning back on the red cushioned seat. "You can't fool the ladies. Always be on time. Remember dates because they're important and they mean a lot to the ladies-birthdays, anniversaries, the first time you kissed, the first time you had se-okay, never mind. But you hear me, little bro?"

Tommen scrunched up his face in confusion. "Do I need to remember those now?"

"Not really. I was actually reminding myself."

Tommen laughed this time. "You're a goofball."

"Aha!" Gendry said, pointing a finger at his brother. "Being cheesy and fluffy once in a while wouldn't hurt."

"Is that why Robb and Theon call you cheeseball sometimes?"

"They call me that?"

Tommen waved his hands around. "You didn't hear it from me!"

"Huh."

"Gen!"

"Okay! Okay! You better dig in to that ice cream. I have to fetch Arya in half an hour."

"Do you need girl advice?"

Gendry froze, his spoon pausing midway between the bowl of ice cream and his open mouth. "Are you kidding me? Okay, what do you have for me?"

"Don't be late when fetching girlfriends. They'll raise hell if you do."

"Who told you that?"

"Joff."

"Well, shit. Dickwad's got his uses too."

* * *

_Arya: Are you still with Tommen?_

_Gendry: Almost done. Where are you? I'll be there in 15._

_Arya: No rush. I ran into Edric earlier and we're on our way to this really cool record store down Trident Avenue._

_Gendry: I know that place. I'll be there. Wait for me._

_Arya: Take your time. I'll see you in about an hour?_

_Gendry: I'll see you in 15._

* * *

"He's kidding, right?" Arya locked her phone screen before putting it back in her pocket. "How in the world will he be able to bring Tommen home first before coming to get me? Fifteen minutes? Is he insane?"

Edric chuckled as he flipped through some old school vinyl. "I told you he hates me. Maybe this is not a good idea, you know. I don't think I'd like my face rearranged courtesy of your boyfriend's fists."

Arya rolled her eyes as she walked the aisle of the new releases section. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at some popstar wannabe. "I have friends too, you know. It's not like he's the only person I'm allowed to hang out with."

"Still. Your boyfriend has some mean biceps on him. I still have a lot of gym hours to do before I get those muscles."

Arya walked back to where Edric was in the old school vinyl section. She picked up an old Beatles record and was instantly reminded of Cersei's birthday party. She skimmed the back part, running a finger down the song titles. "This is pretty cool. Gendry would love this. He mentioned that Robert has an old turntable in the attic that might still be working."

Edric held up a Bruce Springsteen record. "How about some Springsteen?"

"That's so cool! I wish I had a turntable back in Winterfell. I wonder if dad has one," Arya said, carefully grabbing the record from Edric's grasp. "Jon might like this."

"How about this," Edric picked out one with the late Michael Jackson on the cover. "Thriller!"

Arya laughed, extending her hands out to imitate the famous Michael Jackson dance move. "I remember Robb dressing up as Michael from the Thriller video during a Halloween party! That was insane!"

"Arya."

Arya and Edric turned around and saw Gendry standing there, his hands inside his pockets. Arya immediately walked up to him and planted a quick kiss on his mouth. Seemingly discontent with the short kiss, Gendry held her head in his hands and pulled her back towards him for what he thinks is a proper kiss. Arya was surprised by Gendry's need for public display of affection; he's not one for those anyway; but she held on to his waist and kissed him back. She must have heard Edric clear his throat a while later because she tugged the hem of Gendry's shirt and pulled back.

"Hello to you too," Arya said with a smirk, although Gendry didn't return it. She noticed that he wore a dark expression on his face, although he hasn't said anything since he called out her name.

"Gendry," Edric said as he stood with a little distance from them. He sounded and looked a little uneasy, and Arya finally took mercy on him and picked up the records they were looking at.

"These are so cool! I thought about getting you this," she said, holding up the Beatles record and smiled when he took it. "_Blackbird_'s in it."

Gendry only nodded in response, making Arya a little uneasy now. _Maybe Edric was right. Maybe he really is jealous._

"Do you need to pick up anything? I just have to pay for these and then we can go," Arya asked him, tilting her head closer to his.

"I'm good," he replied. He reached into his back pocket to take out his wallet, but Arya slapped his hand away.

"I'm paying for this, thank you very much. I'll see you in a bit," she said, hurrying off towards the counter.

"Arya's got pretty good taste in music," Edric said, trying to make light conversation. "We used to play CDs in her room after school. We'd sing too, but it was more like I play guitar and she sings."

Gendry squinted his eyes at him. "You played CDs? _In her room_?"

"We just listened to music, bro."

"I didn't say anything."

"But you seem to be implying something."

"If that's how you see it, but I don't mean anything by it."

"Well you don't have to be mean, man. Chill," Edric said with a little shake of his head.

Gendry sighed. "I'm sorry. Bad day."

"Look, I get that you're together and I get that you're in love with each other, but we're just friends, alright? We cool?"

"All done!" Arya said, practically skipping all the way back to them.

"Yeah," Gendry said to Edric. "We're cool."

* * *

"You don't have to be mean to Edric," Arya said as she closed the door to his room.

Gendry put the records at the foot of the bed before plopping face down on the bed. "I already apologized to him. I didn't really mean to come across as rude."

"But you were jealous?"

Gendry only grunted in response.

"Ha! Admit it! Gendry Baratheon is jealous of Edric Dayne!"

"Shut up," Gendry said, his voice muffled by the bed covers as he lay face down on it.

Arya walked towards the bed, lying on her side beside him so she could look at his face. "Oh! Oh! You are jealous!"

"What if I am?"

"I'd be doing cartwheels right now."

"Then you might as well start now."

Arya laughed before pressing a kiss to his temple. "Edric's just a friend. He's harmless."

"I don't appreciate being laughed at. My feelings are a little sensitive right now."

"My baby's jealous, will you look at that? You're so cute, can I just squishy hug you and keep you in my pocket?"

"Shut up."

"Kiss me first," Arya said with a slight chuckle.

Without another word, Gendry leaned over and kissed her. He kissed her top lip first before moving on to her bottom lip, until he finally placed his mouth firmly over hers and kissed her properly. Arya opened her mouth when he opened his; meeting his tongue with hers when he tilted his head at an angle so he could deepen the kiss even more. She probably had a glass of the sweet, red iced tea she loved because that's what she tasted like at the moment. She heard him groan deep in his throat when she pulled back a bit to sweep her tongue across his bottom lip before lightly tugging it with her teeth. She felt a shiver; maybe it was her, maybe it was him, but she didn't care anymore because Gendry was making her delirious with every sweep of his tongue and the suck of his lips.

"Your brothers?" Gendry rasped out in between kisses.

"Out somewhere," she responded with an equally raspy voice.

"We have time?"

Arya nodded. "We have the entire afternoon."

And just like that, Gendry pulls her on top of him; her legs straddling his waist as he lay there kissing her some more. She feels his hand tug the hem of her shirt upwards; struggling as he tried to lift her shirt and throw it across the room as soon as it was off. She was pulling at his shirt too, until Gendry sat up, breaking the kiss only when he took his shirt off for her. At the same time, her hands were fumbling with the button of his jeans; lifting herself off him so she could tug the material down his legs. Gendry growled when he lost contact with her lips, but as soon as she was back and straddling him again, he took his turn with pulling her shorts down her legs.

Gendry pulled her down on the bed until their positions changed, but Arya, sporting a devilish grin on her face, shook her head and pushed him back so she could try something else.

"I just had a crazy idea back in yoga class," she said, breathing heavily when she felt him grasp her hips closer. "I just want to see if doing it like this would kill me."

Arya turned her back and leaned onto him, almost as if she was sitting astride. When she bent her body forwards, her ass slightly raised so he could get in at a totally different angle. She swears she hears him growl again, and Arya would have laughed if only he didn't have his cock slide slowly inside her. They both make a noise deep in their throat, as they revel in the warm and wet and tight feeling. Arya leaned the side of her face on the mattress; tilting her head up a little so she could watch him. He stared back at her as he started pumping in and out…in and out…in and out…and Arya's breath hitched as she sees him groan and throw his head back with insane pleasure.

"Fuck…" Gendry hissed as he kept up with the motion, his thighs slapping against her ass as his movements turned deeper and faster, his hands grasping her hips tighter. For now, she didn't care if his hands will leave a bruise there afterwards because she was close to peaking and she knew he was too.

"Arya…" he repeated her name over and over, until she feels him tense further, his cock grow harder if it were even possible. Her breaths came in pants, and she was sure she was making incoherent noises because she could feel him so hard in her and he starts to spasm. His movements become erratic until her s, too, become frantic. He removes his grip on her hips and leans forward, reaching around her front until he feels her clit and flicks.

Arya cried out.

Her vision blurs and so she closes her eyes, basking in the feeling of warmth flowing through her, making her feel light and tingly. The feeling was the most intense she's ever had yet; crying out some more when everything within her contracts and bursts. Gendry came with her this time; pulling her body closer as they ride out their orgasm.

Later, when she finds her back to his chest and his arms wound tight around her, she laughs as he demands where she learned that.

"I'm starting to realize that Dany's yoga classes are far more useful than I originally thought."

"No shit. Can I learn yoga, too?" Gendry teased, biting her earlobe as she chuckled a reply.

"Next session's on Sunday. And don't be late. Dany will _dhanurasana_ your ass if you come in late for class."

"Then you can bet the yoga gods that I will _dhanura-_whateva your ass from today to Sunday."


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Extreme cheese and fluff up ahead, I'm sorry. I'm having so many Gendrya feels because of the new trailer (deep sigh). Short chapter too.**

**GRRM, you know you're the man.**

**P.S.: 200+ reviews! Thank you!**

* * *

"You have a stache."

Gendry's hand went up to touch his upper lip. "I just shaved this morning, I don't have a stache."

Arya laughed as she reached out to wipe the milk off his upper lip with a few swipes of her thumb. "I meant a milk stache, stupid."

"Yes, please. Laugh at me."

"So cute. Would you like an Oreo to go with your milkshake?"

They were in _Doughnuts of Dorne_, having a little morning snack before they set out for the day. Everyone at home was out for some reason or another, and as much as Gendry would like to keep up with the sexy times, Arya had convinced him to go out and just do whatever. They decided to drop by and see Hot Pie since they haven't seen him in a while, and they got their orders for free, much to Gendry and Arya's delight. Hot Pie can be annoying at times but he's a pretty good friend all in all.

"You could have been an adult and ordered latte like I did but you went right ahead and ordered milkshake," Arya said, taking a bite out of her croissant.

"Excuse you, milkshakes are fun."

"If I drink my coffee naked, would you consider that fun too?" Arya said, wiggling her brows.

"It's not proven until it's done."

"You'll beg for a coffee bath once I you see me drink coffee without my clothes on."

Gendry tilted his head to the left as he stared at her in disbelief. "Since when did you get so bold and daring, Arya Lyanna Stark?"

"Since Gendry Baratheon happened," Arya said with a soft chuckle, before consuming the rest of her coffee. "Want more pie?"

Gendry nodded, opening his mouth as Arya picked up a spoonful of apple pie and stuffed it into his mouth. She laughed when he started comically moaning and groaning at how good it tastes.

"You know what they say about apple pie, right? American Pie taught me a few things," Gendry said, smacking his lips together.

"Does everything have to have a sexual undertone for you?" Arya asked with an eyeroll. "Let's do something fun today…" she held a finger up to shut him up before he could say something related to sex again. "…that does not involve sex. If you get through the day without thinking about sex, I'll give you a reward."

"Am I Nymeria now that you think I have to be rewarded for every right thing I do?" Gendry asked with a glare. "And what reward do you have in mind?"

"Sex."

"So what do we do first? Movie or art gallery?"

* * *

"You're fucking joking, right?"

Gendry stared at the videoke machine before him. Arya tried to suppress a laugh as she grabbed the song book and started searching for songs to sing. Gendry just stood by the door of the 4-person videoke room, not sure if he should even step in to greet his impending doom. "You know that I suck when it comes to singing, right?"

Arya shrugged without taking her eyes away from the song book. "I wouldn't know. I haven't heard you sing yet."

Gendry crossed the small space with heavy feet. "Well I'm telling you now. I suck big time."

"Let me be the judge of that."

Arya kept turning pages until she found a couple of songs worth decent doing on videoke. She shoved the book to Gendry for his turn, but he just sat there staring at her with a blank expression on his face.

"Alright, sunshine," Arya said, practically shoving the book under his nose. "Choose something or I'll choose one for you."

"We're at the arcade, Arya. We can play games or shoot basketballs or do air hockey right now, but you choose the videoke section for fun."

"Don't pull a Jon on me now," Arya said. "Killjoy."

Gendry reluctantly grabbed the song book, much to Arya's delight. He half-heartedly scanned through the pages as Arya started punching song codes on the machine. When the first song started, Gendry was close to bolting because it was an old Madonna number which Arya finds amusing to sing for him.

_Like a virgin…hey!_

_Touched for the very first time_

_Like a virgin_

_When your heart beats_

_Next to mine…_

Gendry placed a hand over his eyes and shook his head. "This is stupid, Arya."

"Don't be such a killjoy," she said, dancing in time with the music. "Loosen up a bit, babe. No one's here to watch you make a fool of yourself except me."

"But this song? Really? What if I start belting out _Nice and Slow_, how would that make you feel?"

"Do it!"

Gendry shook his head one more time. "Jesus Christ, Arya."

"Well shit."

"What?" Gendry asked looking to where Arya was staring at behind the glass window. "What?"

"Gen, look!" She grabbed his arm and brought him closer to the window, making him see what she was seeing.

Gendry frowned. "So? That guy's winning the air hockey game. So what?"

"Stupid! That's not what I meant! Look!"

Arya put her hand behind his neck and steered him towards where she wanted him to look. Gendry almost choked at what he's seeing.

"Is that Sansa?!"

"Yes! And apparently, my sister's out on a date with your friend."

"Huh. I do know Sandor had a thing for your sister but I didn't think he'd actually ask her out."

* * *

"Tell me, why are we hiding behind this standee of Sean Bean?" Gendry asked as he crouched beside Arya behind the cardboard standee.

"Um, because he looks a lot like my dad?" Arya said, but not really paying much attention to Gendry. "Quiet! I can't concentrate with you reminding me about how childish this is!"

They followed Sansa and Sandor from the arcade and straight to the cinema; watching them from afar as the other two were standing by the kiosk to buy popcorn.

"But this _is_ childish, Arya."

"Shut it! I just want to see what Sandor will do to my sister!"

"You know what? We might as well buy tickets and get in the cinema if you want to spy over them," Gendry said with sarcasm.

Apparently, Arya thought it was a great idea and gave him a smack on the lips. Gendry stopped giving sarcastic suggestions after that.

"Whoa! Okay, this guy looks so much like Jon, what the hell?" Gendry said as he fished popcorn from the bucket on Arya's lap. He was staring at the movie screen, watching with mouth agape as this actor did his thing on screen. He looked so much like Jon it was creepy.

"What the fuck is he doing?" Arya said, her knuckles gripped the armrest so hard they were almost white.

"Uh, he's trying to convince this girl not to go to Silent Hill?" Gendry said, casting her a sidelong glance.

"No, stupid! What is Sandor doing now? Why is he sitting so close to my sister?"

"Quiet!"

Gendry and Arya shrank further down their seats when the guy behind them hissed out the request. They had to duck too because Sandor and Sansa, who were just two rows ahead, turned in their direction for a bit before turning back towards the screen.

"They're on a date, Arya! Inside a darkened cinema! What do you think they'd do in here aside from watch the movie?"

"Well as far as my dating activities in the cinema are concerned, we fool around a bit or get to a full-blown make out session when the movie's ridiculously boring!"

Arya saw Gendry raise his brows to prove his point, at least from what little light she could see him with.

"Exactly my point! Sansa and Sandor making out is giving me the creeps!"

"And you wonder why your brothers were slow to accepting our relationship."

Arya turned her face towards the screen and huffed in frustration. Gendry would have teased her some more, although he knew better than to laugh at her when she's annoyed. "Come on," he said, entwining their fingers together. "Let's just enjoy this all the same, alright?"

"Oh my god," Arya whispered, her nose wrinkled in repulsion. "These guys look so much like Jon and my Dad."

* * *

Gendry turned off the engine as he put the car into park. He and Arya drove out to their favorite spot overlooking the city; ignoring the fact that it was almost dark out when they took the hour-long drive. Arya had been silent during the ride; choosing to stare out the window rather than have a conversation with him. He didn't mind, though. He only gave her occasional sidelong glances as he steered the Impala along the winding uphill road.

He heard Arya exhale a deep breath, and Gendry wondered if she were really bothered about Sansa and Sandor going out on a date. Turning the radio on but keeping the volume down, he turned to Arya and grabbed the end of her hair and twirled it into his finger.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, as he let her long, silky hair fall from his finger, before doing it all over again.

She sighed. "Just…things."

His hands dropped from her hair to the hand on her lap. He covered it with his; watching how big his hand is and how much longer his fingers were compared with hers. But he liked that her hand definitely feels softer than his calloused ones.

"Does it really matter that my friend's seeing your sister?"

Arya kept her eyes on their hands and watched how his thumb lightly traced circles over her skin. She would have been hypnotized by the motion if she hadn't looked up to stare at him instead.

"No."

Gendry nodded. "Good. Because Sandor's a pretty nice guy, no matter how big and creepy the guy seems to be."

"I know he's nice. I just have to remind myself of that Ramsay incident…"

"Stop it, Arya."

"_I just have to remind myself of that Ramsay incident_," Arya went and ignored him. "…to know that he's not a bad person. It's just that he's kind of different from all the other guys my sister has dated."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Good, I think," she said with a chuckle. "Because she only dated jocks and that's not always a good thing, right?"

Gendry laughed. "I'll let Sandor know what you think of his looks."

"You will not!" Arya said, playfully smacking Gendry's arm.

"Well, I just might, since you're so worried about them that I didn't actually get a proper make out session with you at the cinema."

Arya only snorted in response before opening the car door and stepped out. Gendry watched as she walked around to the hood of the car and sat on the now-cool surface. Gendry went out a while later, enjoying the night chill as he closed his eyes and tilted his head up before walking over to her. She slid to the right a little to give him space, before lying on her back to watch the night sky.

"Sansa's leaving in a couple more days. Do you think her dating Sandor is a good thing?"

"Ahh…the power of technology will be tested if they do decide to keep at it," Gendry said as he continued to lay beside her.

"That'll be hard," she said with a frown

"You think?" Gendry asked, as he turned his head to face hers.

Arya looked back and just held his stare. It was different, this stare he was giving her. Like he had about a million questions in his mind but his mouth refused to say them out loud. And at that moment, it finally clicked. Arya knew what he was asking…knew what he was begging from her with his eyes. How is she going to handle this? She's never felt so vulnerable in her life and it was scaring the hell out of her.

"I'm scared, Gen. I don't want to think about the time when I have to go back home and…"

"Come here," he murmured into her hair.

Arya got up and straddled his waist, before draping her body over his and resting her head over his chest. She felt one of his hands stroke her hair and the other run his fingertips up and down her back. They were silent for a while, as if talking would ruin the moment. He shifted his head and buried his nose in her soft, silky tresses.

"I'm scared too," he murmured into her hair before placing a kiss on her temple.

She looked up, watching the play of the city lights over his eyes. She could drown in those eyes; stare at them the whole time and still be amazed at how they keep pulling her in. She leaned close and placed a kiss on his jaw, and laughed softly when she heard him sigh.

"How are we going to do this when I'm back in Winterfell and you're…you're here?" she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"I'll fly over there every weekend if I have to," Gendry said with a chuckle. "Or I could try to get in at one of the universities there and just…"

Arya couldn't breathe.

"…move."

_Oh gods_.

"Arya?" he asked warily as he watched her surprised and frightened face. "We don't have to talk about this now, alright? We'll just take it one day at a time."

"Will it be totally a Gendry level of cheesy if I ask you to kiss me?"

Gendry threw his head back ang laughed. "Yes. An epic level of cheesiness."

"Okay, bye," was all Arya said before disentangling herself from him. She was just teasing, but Gendry quickly sat up so she was still sitting astride.

"I was kidding!" Gendry said as he tried to keep her from getting up.

"I was kidding, too," Arya said with a laugh.

Gendry pulled back a bit and gave her a somewhat intense stare, she found it quite unnerving. He did it for a while until Arya had to ask," What are you doing?"

"I'm waiting."

"For what?"

"That kiss."

Arya laughed. "Well, I just realized that Gendry Baratheon will not last a day without thinking about sex or making out, even."

"You think you're _all that_."

"I think I am."

"True, true. Have you ever had sex in the back of a car?"


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: If you've read my oneshot ****_Suddenly Arya_****, I'm doing some of those here but it won't be exactly the same. This is quite long, so I've split them into 2 chapters. Then 2 more till Arya starts Uni.**

**Then a couple more before I bid this story goodbye.**

**Thanks, GRRM, for giving me a tidal wave of emotions. Thanks, Maisie, for making my entire year (HELLO, SEXIEST MAN ALIVE IN WESTEROS).**

**Oh, and have I mentioned smut?**

* * *

"So you're at a gas station? Aren't you supposed to refrain from making calls or texts when you're at a gas station?"

Arya was staring at her reflection in the mirror and rolled her eyes. "I'm in the wash room, Jon."

"Alone?" Jon said.

Arya pulled her phone away from her ear for a moment and pretended to stab it several times, before resuming the call. "Yes, Jon. Gendry's paying for gas and Sandor and Sansa are getting food. Are you disappointed that Gendry and I are not having public toilet sex? And that's gross, Jon."

"At the rate you're both going, I won't be surprised if he's banging you against the door right this very minute."

"You'll never know. We could be doing it on your bed…or in your shower…or in the backseat of your car…or…"

"Okay, stop. I'm trying not to entertain those images in my head because I'm about to puke in my mouth right now."

Arya laughed. "Do you want to talk to Sansa? I'm on my way back to them, in case you want me to give her the phone."

She could hear muffled voices in the background which she guessed to be Robb and Jon talking. "Yeah, can we talk to Sansa real quick? Dad called about her flight back to the Vale and I have to call Dad back for her answer," Jon said when he was back on the line.

"Dad could have just called her, you know. I'm sighing at his lazy tech skills. Hang on," Arya tapped Sansa's shoulder and handed the phone to her, mouthing "_It's Jon" _when Sansa asked who it was.

"Your brothers missing you both already?" Gendry said with a chuckle as he walked back towards her, tucking his wallet in his back pocket. "I hope they're not planning on following us up in Casterly Rock," he added with a slight wince.

They walked back to the car as soon as the Sandor signaled that they're good to go. He and Sansa were in his midnight black SUV, making Gendry's Impala look small. Arya watched as Gendry backed out of the parking spot, his arm flung behind Arya's seat and his body twisted towards the back so he could see better. She fought the little smile trying to erupt from her face as she watched his every move. She feels like some creepy stalker, but she loves watching him move. She wondered how one can be both manly and graceful at the same time. The play of his muscles when he takes his shirt off as he washes his car; the way his forehead creases when he's engrossed in a book; the way he runs his fingers through his hair when he's nervous or worried; she notices how his startling blue eyes darken as he watches her enter the room; how he casually swipes his soft black hair when it falls over his eyes. She could go on forever about even the smallest things about him that she loves.

_Love_.

Arya must have sighed because Gendry sneaked a look in her direction. His brows were raised in question, but Arya only shrugged in answer.

"What was that?" he asked, turning his eyes back towards the road. He looked at his rear-view mirror to check if Sandor's SUV is still following them.

"What was what?" she asked, pretending innocence.

"That look on your face just now," Gendry insisted. He turned sideways; a bit longer than one holding a steering wheel should, and chuckled. "I know that look."

"Please," she said, shifting in her seat so she was facing him. "Enlighten me."

She watched as a smile slowly crept across his face. He kept his eyes on the road, both hands on the wheel, leaning back on the seat as relaxed as he can be. Her stomach fluttered at the sight, and she was sure she'd forgotten how to breathe.

_God, he's beautiful._

"Well," he said, eyes still on the road. "For one, you get that look every time you're engrossed about something. Like you're seeing something wonderful for the first time and you can't be bothered about anything else."

Arya's heartbeat picked up speed.

"Secondly, you have that look when you're truly, utterly, genuinely happy. Like you can't believe you're in that moment, living it as though it was everything you've ever hoped it to be."

_How am I still breathing right now?_

Gendry shifted gears; gaining a little speed as they cruised down the long empty road, save for the SUV behind them. "Do you want to hear the best one yet?"

"Hmm."

"You have the same look on your face every time I kiss you. Sometimes I wonder if I get the same look on my face when you kiss me. But if that's how it looks like, then I don't think I'll ever want to stop being kissed."

_Goddamnit._

Gendry finally looked at her. She had the most wonderstruck look on her face, and he didn't know if he wanted to laugh or kiss her.

"Well, shit," she mumbled. She cleared her throat in embarrassment before looking out the window. Somehow, this was one of the very rare moments that Arya Stark was rendered speechless.

_Kiss her, definitely_, Gendry thought.

"Welcome to Casterly Rock. Town of the _Seven Great Waterfalls_," Gendry said, reciting the words written on the road sign. "Finally! It feels like I"ve been driving for years and you, my lady, didn't even offer to take the wheel."

"Do you see Sansa taking over the wheel back there? Sandor's perfectly fine with driving for hours. Step up, Baratheon."

"How can someone so small be such a pain in my ass?" he answered as he found an empty spot at the hotel's parking lot.

When they got out, Sandor and Sansa were already waiting for them at the hotel's entrance. It looked nice from the outside, and Arya wondered if it would be the same on the inside. She hoped it would be nice, clean and comfortable, no matter how small it is. There's nothing like jumping into a freshly-made bed with newly-laundered sheets.

And a hot-looking boyfriend.

"You guys good?" Gendry asked Sandor and Sansa as they walked through the hotel's entrance.

"All good," replied Sandor.

Arya noticed that he seemed a bit shy with Sansa, although she knew he wasn't much of a talker either. But looking at them now, there was something weirdly nice and surprisingly comfortable between them. Maybe it was the same as hers and Gendry's; this thing between two very different people who realized there's more to the other than they originally thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the girl behind the reception desk called out a greeting. "Good afternoon! Welcome to Acorn Hall! I'm Amy," she said, a bright smile plastered on her face.

"Hi," Gendry said, returning her smile with one of his own. "We have reservations for Baratheon?"

"Ah, yes of course! You asked for two rooms with double beds," Amy said as she looked through the information on the computer.

Arya almost choked with laughter when she realized that Gendry assumed that Sansa and Sandor would be sharing rooms. Sansa looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her up, and so did Sandor. After all, Sansa said she and Sandor weren't exactly dating, much less sleeping together. They were just enjoying spending time together before she returns to the Vale.

"Stupid! They're not sharing a room!" Arya whispered when Gendry asked her what was wrong with the reservations.

"Oh! Do we have to get another room?" he asked, feeling quite sheepish now.

"It's okay," Sandor said, in that deep voice of his. "We'll think of something. I'm sure you'll want your own room," he added.

"You have rooms 214 and 220, since there are no rooms available that are right beside each other. And Podrick here will help get your things to your rooms," Amy said as she handed them their keys. "Have a great stay at Acorn Hall!"

* * *

"I wonder what they're doing right now," Arya said as she surfed from one channel to another. She'd been flipping through channels since they got to their room, and Gendry was already feelin nauseous. "Hey!" Arya cried out when he grabbed the remote from her hands.

"You're making me dizzy," Gendry said, flopping beside her on the double bed. He flipped through a few channels before finally deciding on a quite interesting travelogue.

"I wonder what Sandor's doing to my sister right this very minute," Arya repeated, her voice muffled by the fact that she was lying face down on the mattress. Her head was buried under the oversized pillow; her arms lying outstretched.

"What do you think Sandor will do to your sister? He's not one to take advantage, despite his huge frame. It's Sandor I'm worrying about, actually," Gendry said as he placed both hands under his head in a completely relaxed position.

"What do you mean it's Sandor you're worrying about?" Arya said, quickly settling into a sitting position.

Gendry laughed as he sat up and leaned on the headboard. "Your sister's quite an enthusiastic talker. I wonder if she's talking Clegane's ears off at the moment."

"Oh. I thought you meant something else."

"You, on the other hand, talk too much," he said, pullin Arya on top of him until she was sitting astride. "I know of better things to do than talk."

"I'm sure," Arya said, chuckling as Gendry started placing kisses along her jawline.

"Ssh. I can't concentrate."

Arya quickly shut up when he placed soft pecks along her temples…her cheeks…the underside of her jaw…making Arya tilt her head back as far as she could go. She gasped when he started kissing her neck right down to her pulse points, before ending up nipping on her collarbone.

"Don't leave a mark," Arya murmured, tilting her head to the side this time when she felt him lightly lick her pulse points again.

Gendry chose not to answer but moved on to bite her ear lobe instead. Arya thinks the sigh she heard came from her, although she was sure she heard Gendry emit one too.

"Are you just going to do this all night?" Arya asked, huffing a little in frustration now.

"Impatient little wolf," he murmured as he nuzzled her neck. "Patience has its rewards."

"I don't want to be patient," she argued, sitting more fully on his lap before grabbing his head and pulled him in for a kiss.

Gendry chuckled a little, until he found nothing amusing about this anymore. Arya's tongue was swirling around his mouth; teasing his own until he, too, lost his patience and gave more of himself into the kiss. His right hand was gripping her left hip, while his left hand traced undecipherable patterns across her back. He heard her hiss when his warm hand crept under her shirt and touched her bare skin; smling when he flicked the bra clasp and she gasped in surprise. He felt her arms let go of his shoulders until they threaded through his dark hair, loving the slight tinge of pain when she gave it a little tug.

Soon she had both her bra and shirt off, leaving her sitting on his lap with only just her denim shorts. Gendry could feel how warm and wet she was starting to feel down there, and he thinks his growl could rival Nymeria's. It wasn't helping things when she started to slightly wiggle her hips, and Gendry had to grasp them with both hands until she stopped the movement.

"No…too soon…" he said amidst Arya's protests.

"Take your shirt off," Arya ordered, pulling the material over his head before throwing it behind them where it landed at the foot of the bed.

"Bossy, bossy," Gendry murmured before his tongue delved back into her sweet, hot mouth.

He didn't know how he managed to get his jeans off, considering how their mouths were busy doing _things_ to each other. Arya must have helped a lot, because he didn't even remember how he got the material off each leg. Soon, they were down to her blue boyleg panties and his boxers and nothing else.

Their mouths were still infused while Gendry flipped them over until he was on top this time. Her leg immediately went around his waist, as if to lock him in there before he could pry himself loose. He gave a soft, husky laugh when she pulled more of him in; her heel digging into his ass until there wasn't any space left between them.

"What are you doing to me, Arya," he whispered in between sucking and biting her nipples, shivering when he felt her hand sneak between them so she could pull his boxers off of him. He did the same for her; dragging her panties down her legs until he threw them away to land god knows where.

He felt her hips buck and later, he groaned when he felt her wrap her hand around his cock. He was fully-aroused by now; all big and smooth and hard at the same time. When she stroked from base to the tip, he arched back as far as he could go, savoring the feel of her soft, small hands over his arousal. If there was anything he learned about making love with Arya, it was that she gets better and bolder every single time. It was hard to imagine that he'd taken her a virgin, when all she'd do right now is just flick her wrist or rake her nails down his back and he's falling over the edge.

When at last he slid into her, he was almost at his end. Squeezing his eyes shut to control the building emotions and sensations all around him, he slowed his pace and took his time with her, until it was Arya who was screaming _now _and _no more_. Gendry gave a few more long, slow thrusts until he grabbed her ankle and placed it over his shoulder. Arya cried out. She cried out even more when his thrusts turned faster but deeper; her nails clawing at his thighs and arms and wherever little else she could reach. Their breaths came out faster and more shallow; the furious pounding of their hearts coming so fast now as if trying to escape from the confines of their chests. At one point in between long, slow thrusts and fast, hard strokes, he must have hit the right spot because Arya cried out a curse, making Gendry growl low in his throat. Taking mercy on her, he lifted her leg back down and let her wrap both legs around his waist, crying out some more when he drove in deeper just when he thinks he couldn't get deeper enough. A few more curses, a few more grunts, a few more growls before finally…_finally_…he let himself go and crash along with her in this tidal wave.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! Gen!" she cried out in prayer, as she felt his hips buck erratically until he totally let himself go.

He couldn't form coherent words but kept chanting her name and the occasional _Fuck!_ until the last thrust; until his arms and hands and knees couldn't hold him up much longer and he fell atop her with a grunt. Arya ran her hands through his sweaty hair before tugging him down for a kiss. They stared at each other for a while…just like that…drowning in her smoky grey eyes and her in his steel blues.

"I love you," he whispered, choking out the words that he now knew fully well makes his heart stop beating for a while.

And she said the words back…"_I love you"_…just like she always did. But somehow this time, it was different. Different in a way that he knew there was no turning back from his little wolf.

* * *

"I don't even know how anyone could get through all seven waterfalls," Sansa huffed as she trudged behind Gendry and Arya.

It was only 6:30 the following morning, and Sansa found herself being dragged out of bed by an unbelievably perky little sister. She was surprised that Sandor, who took the floor space beside the bed, was already at the coffee shop downstairs with Gendry. When Arya told her of their planned trek up the seven waterfalls, Sansa groaned in protest.

But here she was, backpack slung across her shoulders and crossing little bridges and stepping over huge rocks as they trudged along the trail that led up to the falls. She watched as her sister and her boyfriend walked with clasped hands, not even talking much but seemingly enjoying the hike up. She wondered if anything mysterious or magical happened the night before, because there was something different between those two.

_Oh, right. They were probably having sex while I was in an awkward sharing-a-room situation with Sandor._

But she knew that those two have been shagging their brains out, it's jut that something seemed different although Sansa couldn't put a finger to it.

"I'll carry your backpack for you," said Sandor, who suddenly appeared right beside her.

"No! It's okay. I'm a big girl, I can do this!" she said, trying to sound cheerful for the first time that morning.

She heard Sandor give a slight chuckle, and she couldn't help but laugh softly at how ridiculous she thinks she's being. "I'm sorry. I'm just not the type to go traipsing up rocky trails and dusty paths under the scorching sun."

"It's not even 7 am yet, so scorching sun might not be the right description for it."

Sansa laughed this time, startling Gendry and Arya to a stop. She waved a hand in dismissal at Arya and her famous brow-raise, before turning back to Sandor. "Okay, I guess it's just the traipsing up rocky trails and dusty paths that gets to me. I've never one to enjoy nature trips unlike my sister here who seems to be enjoying torturing herself," she said, before adding, "And others."

"Here," he said, grabbing her backpack and ignoring her protests. "I'm okay with carrying two and with minimal effort."

"I hear ya," Sansa said, although her mind edited out, "_And I see ya and your muscular arms."_

They went on for about 15 more minutes until they all heard the roaring sound of a waterfall. They looked at each other and walked faster, everyone seemingly excited now that they've reached the first falls.

"Seven hells!" exclaimed Arya, as she dropped her pack on the rocky ground at her feet.

"More like seven falls," laughed Gendry, before leaning down to kiss her.

"Wow," said Sandor and Sansa at the same time, as they stared at the sight before them.

The first of the seven falls had a few little groups of people scattered aroung the area. Considering it was the first stop, they assumed it would be more isolated as they get higher up to the seventh. If this one was already breathtakingly beautiful, they all wondered how other-worldly it would seem like when they get to the seventh.

The 15-minute hike up was worth it. The small cascade from the top and down to the pool of clear, cool waters looked incredibly inviting. Amidst the laughter and talk among the small groups, the roaring of the water as it fell drowned out most of the sound as if it was trying to block out the rest of the world.

"Do you guys want to stay here for a while or just keep going?" Gendry asked.

"Keep going!" the rest of them exclaimed excitedly. Even Sandor seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Alrighty then," Gendry said, picking up his and Arya's backpack before handing hers over. "Think you two could outrun us all the way to the next?" He said, grabbing Arya's hand back into his and tugging her closer.

"What?" Arya said, coming to a full stop. "What are you talking about, outrunning each other? I don't have enough energy to run right now."

"I can guess why," Gendry said with a laugh, tucking her hair behind her ear when she rolled her eyes at him.

"Alright, you two," Sansa said, subtly taking Sandor's hand in hers and ignoring the strangled sound he just made out of surprise. "No one's racing anyone up a steep trail, but I'll bet you $100 that someone's going to test the theory that sex in the water is both good and bad at the same time."

Arya called out to Gendry, who was already starting back up the trail. "GENDRY! I NEED A HUNDRED DOLLARS!"


	30. Chapter 30

"Careful, now. The trail's steeper from hereon."

Sansa stared at Sandor's extended hand. They were well on their way up the seventh waterfall, and she was already getting tired. Damn all attempts to be girly and demure. She just wanted to get this hike over and done with, and maybe if they finish early, she'll still have time to strangle her sister for talking her into this.

"Thanks," she muttered as she placed her hand over Sandor's larger ones. She ignored the slight shiver that ran up her arm; as if tiny little needles were pricking her skin from the fingertips and up the length of her arm. She wondered if Sandor felt it too, and she was suddenly overcome by a flash of embarrassment.

Sandor held her hand as they trudged all the way up the dusty trail, ignoring the fact that Gendry and Arya were playfully nudging each other as they led them up the steep trail. Despite the sun beating down their backs and the dust and mud sticking to their shoes, their other two companions seem to be having a grand time.

"Ugh, I hate those two right now," Sansa mumbled as she went up the stair-like rock formation. It only allowed a single line of hikers on this part, so Sandor had to stay behind and see to it that someone would catch her in case she misses a step and slips. "How can they be so cheerful when we're sweating like pigs on a treadmill, it's disgusting!"

"What's disgusting? Sweaty pigs or your sister and Baratheon?" Sandor said, although there was a light teasing tone to it.

Sansa couldn't help but laugh at this. "Okay, that was well-played. I didn't think you have any humorous bone in your body."

"I do have a reputation to uphold."

"Ahh. I promise to keep it a secret."

"Come on, slowpokes!" Arya called out to them. "We're almost there! We can hear the seventh waterfall already! Hurry up!"

Sansa rolled her eyes. "I swear to the old gods and the new, I will strangle her when we get back to the hotel! I'm going to sleep for days after this."

Sandor had the audacity to laugh. "I'm sure you will. But you have a flight to catch in two days, so I don't think sleeping for days would be possible."

"Then I'll sleep for two days."

"You've got a point there, little dove."

Sansa suddenly came to a stop. She stared at him, her head tilted to the side as if she was perusing his very soul. "You've called me _little dove_ several times already. Why?"

He met her stare with his, unflinching. "That's how I see you. Your sister is the little wolf; feisty and anxious and fearsome. I see you as delicate and graceful and pure…like a little dove."

"I'm not that…pure," she mumbled before turning around and proceeded up the trail.

"Hmm," was his only reply, and Sansa chose to ignore it.

* * *

"Oh my god! This is amazing!" Sansa cried out, having forgotten her earlier threats about strangling her sister. "Wow."

Arya grinned. "I know, right? This is amazing!"

They were staring at the highest cascade of water from a several feet drop from the top. Each waterfall they encountered was higher than the previous one; the pool below got several feet deeper too. The roaring of the waterfall was louder up here, but still it was quiet enough to relax however contradicting that may sound. Maybe hypnotizing was more apt a description.

It was just the four of them there. None of those they earlier encountered on the way up made it to the seventh waterfall. They probably quit between the fifth and the sixth, but the four of them gamely trudged on despite their protesting muscles.

"This is so worth it, don't you think?" Gendry asked as he leaned down to meet Arya's lips for a kiss. He found himself grinning along with her when the kiss ended. "You would have been sorry if you decided on staying at the hotel."

"Tell that to Sansa," she said, looking over to where her sister and their friend were happily chatting atop a huge rock. "Hey, San! Do you feel like going for a dip?" she called out to her sister, who in turn nodded excitedly.

The sisters quickly took off their tank tops and shorts, leaving them only in their swimsuits. Gendry and Sandor stood by the rocky embankment, staring at both sisters as they carefully went in the water to check how deep it went.

"What the fuck! It's deep!" Arya screamed in fright as she quickly waded closer to the edge.

"Careful, babe. Hang on, I'll be there," Gendry said, finally shedding his shirt and leaving just his shorts on. "You coming in, Clegane?" he grinned at his friend, giving subtle hints about keeping close to Sansa.

Without a word, Sandor took off his shirt and placed it beside Gendry's on top of their backpacks. Surprisingly, the water was cool but not startingly cold. It was clear from the shallow end and darkened at the deepest part, right where the cascade of water fell. There was a cave-like opening behind the cascade of water, and this did not go unnoticed by the four of them.

"You feel like checking that out?" Sandor nodded towards Gendry, who immediately gave Arya a kiss and a promise that they'd be back for them soon.

"What? You can't just go traipsing in there! It looks dangerous!" Arya protested, holding on tightly to Gendry's arm.

"We'll just check that place out and we'll come back for you both soon. We won't even be out of your sight, see? You can see us from here," he said, slowly trying to pry her death grip on his arm.

He gave her another kiss before quickly swimming away, with Sandor right beside him. Both Stark girls sat on the rocky embankment and watched as both guys got off the water, climbing over the rocks and right through the cascade of water. Gendry shouted out to Arya and waved both hands to signal that they were alright. Arya and Sansa waved back and gave the thumbs up sign.

"Sandor seems like a nice guy," Arya said a while later. They just sat atop a rock, their legs wading in the water. It was crystal clear from where they sat, and Arya could see Sansa's pretty manicured toes and the rocky and sandy floor beneath.

Sansa sighed. "Yeah. He's quite nice, actually. It's a shame, though."

"What is?"

"That I'm leaving for the Vale in two days."

Arya turned to Sansa then and studied her. She looked so relaxed and carefree, which was quite unusual for her. Her older sister was usually stressed out from the pressure of wanting and needing to dance, mixed with the usual guy problems and some other trivial stuff that girls stress about. Lately, she seems more relaxed and carefree that Arya would tease her about kidnapping her sister Sansa in exchange for this alien clone.

"Do you think you and Sandor could make this work? You know, a long distance kind of thing?" Arya asked.

Sansa shrugged. "Arya, it's not as if we're seriously dating or anything. It was just a movie and now this trip. Besides, I don't think anything romantic will come out of this considering I only have two days, remember?"

"But does Sandor think that?"

That gave Sansa pause. "I don't know, really. What about you? How would you and Gendry handle a long distance relationship when you finally have to go back home?"

"He's mentioned something about either flying to see me on weekends or applying at a university in Winterfell and move. But I don't know, too. We're not thinking about that so much...yet."

They were silent for a while until Sansa asked, "Do you think this is something on a totally different level? I mean, there's the _I love you, you love me_ kind of thing…but there's also the _I love you, you love me and I can't live without you so let's get married and have babies_ kind of thing?"

Arya laughed, although it was a nervous kind of mirth. "Now where did that come from?"

"Answer me, damnit."

Arya looked down and studied her toes in the water. She couldn't look her sister in the eye for fear of being judged, but she mumbled her response all the same. "It's the kind of thing where I sometimes think little black-haired, blue-eyed imps running around the house could be the best thing that could happen to me."

"Oh my god, Arya. You're so whipped."

Arya scrunched her face in anguish. "I know, right? I'm so fucking in love with Gendry Baratheon and sometimes I can't help but think about giving him babies when we're making love! It's pathetic!"

Sansa laughed at her sister's agony. "It is pathetic, Arya. But romantic, all the same. I'm happy for you."

Arya snorted. "Thanks, sis."

They stopped talking when they noticed the guys were swimming back to them. Sandor reached them first and then Gendry awhile later, who immediately sat beside Arya.

"There's not much behind there," Gendry said, shaking the water from his hair, reminding Arya so much of Nymeria. "Just a little opening behind that curtain of water and then nothing. Although we think jumping from up there would be the highlight of this trip, wouldn't it?"

They stared at where Gendry was pointing. It would be a scary drop, but the water was deep enough for them to land safely in. Feeling nervous but adventurous still, they quickly walked up the remainder of the trail that would lead to the top.

* * *

"I don't think I could ever move from this bed," Arya groaned as she lay there watching Gendry don a shirt and some shorts after his shower.

"If I didn't force you to get your ass in the shower, you would still be stinking of sweat and dirt right now," he said, drying his hair with the towel. "I just might have to make you sleep on the couch then."

"You love me enough to sleep beside me, stinky, sweaty and all."

"Ha! That's what you think!"

Arya rolled over so she was facing him. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, flipping through channels to find something decent to watch on TV. She lazily crawled over on her knees; encircling her arms around his middle and placing her chin on his shoulder. She placed a light kiss on the side of his neck and laughed softly when she heard him sigh.

"Will you not love me still when I'm ugly and stinky and annoying?" she asked, her words muffled by the side of his neck.

"Naaah. I only love you for your pretty face and your amazing body. Once you're ugly and stinky and annoying, not that you aren't annoying yet," he said, earning a smack on the arm for that. "But once you're all that then it's goodbye, Arya Stark."

"And once you're rid of me, I'm sure you're going to be calling for that girl Bella and you'd gladly ring her bell for her," she muttered before letting go of him.

Gendry turned to her with a frown. "Who's Bella?"

"Stupid!" Arya said, moving further from his grasp. "Bella's the girl at the reception desk along with Amy, who actually is the nice one."

Gendry's face scrunched up in confusion, much like an idiot trying to recall something that he actually couldn't. "I don't remember someone named Bella?"

Arya gave him the eye roll. "She's the one who offered to bring you breakfast in bed, stupid! The one with the humongous boobs that she kept flaunting in your face!"

"Ah! That girl's name is Bella? Who cares about Bella? You're the only one telling me about this Bella and I don't even remember much about her. And what about you and Edric Dayne?"

"What about me and Edric Dayne?"

"Weren't you talking to him on the phone as soon as we got here yesterday?"

"So? Edric's my friend."

"And Bella's no one."

"Are we having this conversation right now?"

"No, I don't want to talk about Edric or Bella or ringing bells, whatever the fuck that means."

"Me neither."

"Shut up and kiss me then."

"Okay, Gendry."

* * *

"I had fun today," Sansa said as she laid on the bed. "Thank you."

"I had fun, too," Sandor replied from his spot on the floor. "At least that's something memorable you'd bring home with you when you leave."

"Yeah…" Sansa said, although words came no more.

"Will you…will you call me, still? You know…when you're back home?"

His question came out as a whisper, and Sansa had to strain her ears for a bit so she could understand what he was trying to say. When it dawned on her what he was actually asking for, she became a nervous wreck.

"I don't know if this would be a good idea, Sandor. I don't want to keep you hoping that a long-distance relationship would be the best thing for us right now. I don't even know the odds of a long-distance relationship ending up successful."

"We don't have to be like that, you know. Just…just keep contact and be friends? Who knows how that'll end up, but I do like you, Sansa. I just hope we keep being friends after this then we'll see how things will turn out. No pressure, no commitment."

It took Sansa a while to answer; carefully weighing his words and considering the circumstances. She whispered her reply before sleep finally came over her.

"No pressure, no commitment."

* * *

"You got everything with you?" Robb asked, picking up Sansa's pink luggage and putting it in the back of Jon's car.

Sansa nodded. "Yeah, I think." She turned to Arya and asked, "I didn't leave anything in the room, didn't I?"

"Nope, you're good."

Sansa took a deep breath and exhaled. "Right. So let's go?"

Sansa was leaving King's Landing, and Arya hated to admit it but she will miss her sister. They might not have been close siblings like Jon was with Arya or Robb was with Sansa, but these past couple of weeks made them closer than they ever were back in Winterfell.

Sensing Arya's eyes on her, she quickly turned and embraced her sister. "I'm going to miss you, Ar."

"Me too, San."

"Don't make me cry," Sansa whispered in her ear. "I just spent the last ten minutes painstakingly putting on my eyeliner so don't ruin it."

Arya laughed. "I doubt you ever do anything _painstakingly_. Everything about you is effortless."

"Shut up! I'm starting to cry now, you idiot!"

Arya quickly let go and sidled next to Gendry. "Fine. I'll see you soon, sis. Don't forget to call once you've landed."

Sansa nodded. She was about to get in the car when she noticed Joffrey standing by the front door, not even a word of goodbye for her. Signaling to her brothers for just one quick moment, she walked up to the middle Baratheon brother whom she once deemed as the most annoying of the three.

"Not even a goodbye from you?" she asked, walking towards him, with brows raised.

"I didn't think you had time to hear a goodbye from me," he replied with nonchalance.

"Hmm. Still a jealous brat."

"I'm not jealous," Joffrey quipped, making Sansa laugh.

"Just come here then and give me a hug!"

Without further thought, Joffrey took her in a tight hug. "I'll make sure my dog stays in contact with you."

Sansa playfully smacked him at the back of his head. "Stop calling him dog or hound or anything like that! He's actually quite nice!"

"I was kidding, okay!" They broke off the embrace and Joffrey said, "Come visit us during breaks, okay?"

"You won't get rid of me so easily!"

Sansa walked up to Gendry next and gave him a hug. "Take care of my sister, alright? And don't you dare make her cry or I'll make sure you won't be well enough to see another day. Got that, Baratheon?"

Gendry gave out a nervous laugh. "I hear you loud and clear, my lady."

"She's utterly, hopelessly, deeply, madly in love with you so I hope you'll only keep her that way."

"I hope everyone stops giving me threats because I'm utterly, hopelessly, deeply, madly in love with her too."

"Good."

When she finally stepped inside the car, waving from inside along with Jon and Robb, she blew Arya a kiss and said, "Don't let go of this one! Gendry's a keeper!"


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Thank you, if you're still reading this. Sorry I haven't updated in a while and have been posting one-shots. I'm trying to think of how this story goes from here & how it'll end. I've revised a lot from how I wanted it to end at first, but now I pretty much have an idea.**

**I'm excited to see the 2nd episode because Gendry/Arya time!**

**You might find a text towards the end that's VERY FAMILIAR. Of course, GRRM is the man.**

**Enjoy :D**

* * *

Arya was a nervous wreck. It was her first day at university, and it sucked to be the new girl.

"You okay? You seem nervous," Gendry said as they walked across the parking lot and up the school's front steps.

"I'm not nervous."

Gendry laughed. "Oh but you are! If this death grip you have on my hand means you're all nerves..."

"Sorry," she muttered as she let go of him.

Gendry took her hand back and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be fine, Arya."

"I'm close to puking in my mouth, you know."

"Just breathe and try to relax."

Arya gave a few ragged breaths until Gendry stopped and held her by the arms. "I said breathe and relax. You sound like you're about to give birth."

"Okay! Okay! Let's just get this over with!"

"I'll help you relax. Kiss me."

"Are you fucking serious? We're in the middle of the school steps."

"Are you ashamed of being seen kissing me?"

Arya rolled her eyes. "So demanding."

But she stepped in and did it anyway. She only wanted to give him a short kiss, but Gendry had other things in mind. When his hand went to her nape to pull her in deeper...when his head tilted to the side to deepen the kiss...when Arya felt his tongue lazily curl into hers...she knew it was going to be quite a show they were putting out there.

"Ahem. In full daylight and in public."

Gendry and Arya jumped apart and saw her brothers standing there, along with Theon and Joffrey.

"Come on, you two. Let's keep that kraken in your pants for now, Baratheon," Robb said, patting Gendry's back. "School's officially starting in fifteen minutes!"

* * *

Arya entered the classroom warily. She took a quick scan of all the faces staring back at her, her anxiety coming back in full force. She hated being the new girl in school, although she hasn't felt that way since her first day at her old school in Winterfell. With a little shake of her head, she walked towards the back where she found an empty seat beside...

_Holy shit!_

"Seven hells! Edric!" Arya exclaimed happily, plopping unceremoniously on the empty seat beside him. "I'm glad there's someone in this class that I know! I don't think I could take any more of this new girl thing. It sucks how people keep staring at you like you're some kind of martian or something," she finished with an eye roll.

Edric laughed. "Uh, hello? New boy, remember?"

Arya's eyes widened in surprise before the realization sunk in."Oh, right! Totally forgot we're both new around here," she finished with a nervous laugh.

"No worries," he said with a smile. "How's your first day, so far?"

"Well,"she started. "I walked into the wrong classroom for first period, couldn't find the next room for third period, ketchup in my blouse during break," she said, pointing to the small red splatter on her cream-colored blouse. "And my brothers warned me about this female professor who actually has the…what was Theon's term for it? _Hots for Gendry?_ "

Edric laughed. "Well, consider yourself warned. Hey, look."

He nodded towards the giant of a man who just entered the classroom. He was probably the tallest man Arya has ever laid eyes upon, save for her dad who was over six feet. This man was a little on the heavy side, although it was probably because of his imposing height. He had salt and pepper hair; complexion a little pale in Arya's opinion. She guessed this was their last professor for the day when he placed his stuff on the teacher's desk right up front. Arya felt the lump return in her throat when she noticed at how the man was slowly assessing the entire class.

He took off his modest brown coat and draped it over his chair, taking his time folding the sleeves of his white long sleeves before turning his back to the class to write something on the white board.

**_Professor Hodor Hodor_**

The class started snickering including Arya and Edric, although some were louder than others. Professor turned back to face the class and addressed them, in a deep, booming voice.

"Hodor," he started, looking at each of their faces. "You may call me Professor Hodor. I will be teaching Film Appreciation for the entire semester. We will be tackling different film genres, camera angles and tricks, discuss cinematography, teach you how to analyze films that may or may not be of your preferred genre…"

He droned on for the rest of the hour, and Arya found herself genuinely interested. Professor Hodor seemed nice and interesting, and Arya was surprised that the rest of the class would agree with her. Despite their initial reaction, everyone seemed to like him now.

When class ended, they all filed out of the room with a renewed excitement that the first day has finally ended. Arya was laughing at something Edric said when she noticed Gendry standing in front of the classroom; his back leaning on the wall, his backpack slung over one shoulder. The smile on his face was replaced with a scowl, although Arya did notice that he did his best to put the smile back on.

"Gendry, hey!" Arya said, feeling those little butterflies fluttering inside her stomach again. She was surprised that he went all the way to this side of the building just to see her, and she couldn't help but blush at how happy that made her.

He walked towards them, placing a kiss on top of her head and a nod to Edric in greeting. "Done with your classes?"

"Yeah. I'm ready to go home because I feel like I've aged ten years," she said with a tired smile. "I'll see you tomorrow?" Arya said to Edric, who were looking at them with an amused smile.

"Yeah. I have one last stop to make before I head home," he said, slowly backing away from the two. "Have fun, you two!"

Gendry held his hand out for a handshake. "See you, bro."

Arya nudged his side with her elbow, earning a groan from him. "See? That wasn't so bad now, was it? So very mature of you."

"That's because I get you all for myself now," he chuckled as he placed an arm around her shoulders. "To hell with going home. I'm kidnapping your for a while."

* * *

"Mom?"

Catelyn tore her gaze away from her laptop to look at Bran, who was standing at the study's entrance. Taking another quick glance at the wall clock, she noticed that it was already close to midnight. She had been busy pounding away on her laptop, balancing household expenses and sending out business emails that she'd lost track of the time.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'll be done in a few more minutes," she said, stretching her back and rubbing the back of her neck to ease the tension if only for a bit.

Bran walked towards her desk and took a seat on the large swivel chair in front. "Mom, what time is Dad coming home? I need to ask him about tomorrow's game?"

Catelyn muttered a curse. Bran and Rickon had a soccer game tomorrow and Ned promised both boys that he'd be there. "Dad won't be home till late, sweetheart. He'd probably be here by 1 am, 2 at the most."

Bran's face fell. "But he promised to go to the game tomorrow. He couldn't make it the last two times, and he promised that he's coming to see us play tomorrow."

"I know, Bran. Dad's just really tied up with work right now but if he says he's coming, then he's coming," Catelyn said, returning to her composing emails on her laptop.

"I just wanted to make sure that he remembers the game tomorrow. It's pretty important for me and Rickon, that's all."

Catelyn pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Brandon. You're 14 years old and Rickon's 13. You're both big enough to understand that your father's going through a really rough time with the company. You don't have to add more pressure when your father's pressured enough as it is."

"No, trust me. I understand, Mom. I really do. But Dad made the same promise twice before and he never came," Bran argued, his voice growing stronger now. "It's just one game, Mom. If we win this, we're off to the finals. This is really important."

"I understand what happened last time, Brandon, and we already apologized for it. And it's not as if Dad was out on a vacation, so don't take that tone on me, young man," Catelyn said, a little angry now that her son was reminding her and Ned about how to be parents. "When your father comes home, I will remind him. Go to bed, it's midnight."

"I'll wait for Dad."

"Go to bed, Brandon."

Without further argument, he turned around and walked out of the study.

* * *

Rickon knocked on the door of his bedroom and raised his brows in question. "So? Are they coming tomorrow?"

Bran was lying in bed, tossing his soccer ball up into the ceiling and catching it before it fell on his face. "She said she'd remind Dad when he gets home."

"Dad doesn't have time for us anymore, ever since we came to Storm's End. He's always tied up with work," Rickon said, diving on the edge of Bran's bed. "You want to hear the truth, Bran?"

"What?" Bran asked as he kept tossing from the ceiling to his hands. Somehow, deep in his heart, he know what Rickon was about to say.

"I don't think Dad's going to make it to the game."

"Me neither."

Rickon sighed, tousling the curls that have already grown long enough to fall over his eyes. "So, if they don't show up tomorrow…Mom or Dad…we go on with the plan?"

Bran looked over at his brother and nodded. "As planned."

* * *

"Ice cream. Definitely ice cream."

Gendry laughed at her. They were spending the rest of the afternoon lying under their favorite acorn tree at Red Keep Park. Arya would have preferred to be kidnapped somewhere further away from here, but it was a weekday tomorrow so another rendezvous must be planned for another time.

"Maybe," Gendry said, squinting his eyes for a better look. "If you look harder, you could actually see the chocolate chunks and the marshmallows."

"What about that one?" Arya pointed to another clump of clouds. She threw Gendry a look; studying his profile as he stared at the sky to make out shapes from clouds. It must be a stupid, childish game they're playing, but she loved these unpredictable moments with him. _Sweet and gentle one moment, hot and horny at another. _She continued with the task of silently admiring him-long, thick lashes framing his lids; perfectly shaped nose that she remembers bumping into hers when they kiss; a strong jaw that gives him a rough and rugged look; and his soft, raven black hair that she loved to thread her fingers into. He was gorgeous in every sense of the word, and he doesn't even realize it.

"What are you staring at?" he said with a chuckle. He was still looking at the sky, but he knew Arya was looking at him. _He knows and feels it_.

Arya quickly turned her gaze back to the horizon. "What can you make out of that?"

It was a while before he answered. "Joffrey's shorts?"

Arya hooted with laughter. Gendry looked at her and thought that she was the prettiest thing he's ever seen on God's green earth. Arya Stark made things happen to his insides, like that fluttering in his stomach and that tightening in his chest.

_God, I love her._

"How could that be Joff's shorts? Unless they're bloomers, then I can't see how they can be that!" Arya exclaimed happily.

"He keeps them in his bottom drawer," Gendry joked, rendering another fit of laughter from Arya.

They lay there in silence for another few minutes, until the sky turned from orange to near black. Reluctantly, Arya sat up and started picking out the grass from her clothes before standing. "Come on, Baratheon. We need to get back."

With a sigh, Gendry stood too, brushing the grass off his jeans and shirt. He chuckled softly when he saw the grass sticking out in her hair, although she was oblivious to it. He leaned closer and started picking out the bits of grass, as Arya stood there staring up at him with those pretty round eyes of hers and plump lips waiting to be kissed.

_"I'll wear a gown of golden leaves and bind my hair with grass,_

_But you can be my forest love, and me your forest lass."_

Arya stared up at him with a puzzled look on her face. "You're a forest lass?"

"I was quoting poetry, my lady."

"Ahhh…very charming, my lord."

Gendry leaned over to give her a short but sweet kiss, before stepping back and taking hold of her hand. "Let's go home."

* * *

It was the day of the soccer game, and Bran & Rickon's team lost. It wasn't the reason for the Stark brothers' anger, though.

Bran slammed his locker door. He was furious, and it wasn't the same feeling he got in the past when his mother apologized for his father for not attending their soccer game. This time, he was shaking with rage. Not only did their father miss the game, but so did their mother. In anger, he hastily put on his change of clothes and turned to Rickon.

"We're doing this, right?"

Rickon nodded. He was angry, too. "When do we do this?"

Bran heaved a deep breath. He made sure there was no one else in the locker room who could hear this conversation. "Tonight. I don't feel like talking to them both."

"Me neither," Rickon replied, as he stuffed his dirty uniform and shoes into his bag. "So…Sansa or Arya?"

"Sansa lives in a girl's dormitory, so it's off the list."

"So, it's Arya then?" Rickon asked, slinging the bag strap over his shoulder.

The brothers walked out of the locker room and towards the parking lot where their driver was waiting in the car. Before getting in, Bran looked across to where Rickon was and said, "Arya."


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Cheese and fluff and smut. You have been warned. :D**

* * *

He looked at the ground and took a step back. It was a pretty high drop from the bedroom window, but he was used to it by now. No one climbs walls like Bran Stark does, and he was pretty proud about it. He remembers helping Arya sneak out sometimes by climbing through his window, which was the easiest to climb out of. Aside from having vines creeping up the walls and protruding fixtures that help hanging onto easier, his room was nearer the wrought iron gates that led them to freedom, at least only for a while.

"You ready?" he said, turning back to look at his younger brother.

Rickon nodded his head, before handing over Bran's backpack. He slid on his own bag, before glancing around Bran's room for anything else they needed to bring with them. "All set."

Bran took a deep breath before climbing out the window, careful not to make any noise and big movements that would alert the guys at the security room. They knew where the cameras were installed, so they had to creep, duck and stealthily make their way across the lawn. They darted in between trees and ducked behind their mother's rose bushes so as to avoid the security cameras when they swung in their direction. Bran led the way as they stumbled through the rest of the way; looking behind his back and found Rickon grinning from ear to ear, making Bran return it with a grin of his own.

It was a dangerous thing they were doing, but they've had their fill of broken promises from parents who were lately too busy to find time for the youngest Starks. Both their parents were still out for a dinner meeting, and both boys couldn't understand why they had to be working even till late at night. This was their only chance to sneak out and take the last flight out to King's Landing.

* * *

_"She makes me want to be different, better."_

Gendry stared at the tv screen. He didn't know why, but lately he didn't mind watching chick flicks like this one. He'd heard Arya and Sansa talk about _A Walk To Remember_ once during the past weeks, and it was only now that he realized why they cried over this movie.

_"She makes me want to be different, better."_

He repeated the line over and over in his head until the meaning behind it sank within and shook him with its weight. He stared back at the screen and resumed watching. It was a little after midnight but he couldn't sleep. He found himself creeping down the stairs and went straight for the kitchen before heading to the tv room.

"Has the damn apocalypse started? Tell me now because I never got the memo."

Gendry turned around to find Joffrey standing at the doorway with a knowing smirk on his face. He threw a pillow at him although his brother was able to catch it before it hit him in the face. Joffrey made his way over to the end of the couch and plopped down heavily on it.

"Why are you awake at this ungodly hour?" Joffrey asked, eyeing the tv with an amused look. "And _A Walk To Remember? _What a sappy dickbutt you've become."

"The fact that you know what movie this is makes you a sappy dickbutt first."

"Touche," Joffrey said with a chuckle. "Don't you have class tomorrow?"

"World Lit, but not till 1 pm," Gendry said as he turned the volume down a little. "You?"

"I have a 9 am class, which is why I'm going back to sleep," Joffrey said, getting up from the couch.

Gendry hesitated for a moment before calling out, "Hey, Joff?"

Joffrey paused and turned around. "Yeah?"

Gendry couldn't look at him directly and so he kept on staring at the tv screen. "How do you know if you're really in love? Like, in the truest sense of the word, _really_ in love?"

That gave Joffrey pause. He slowly walked back towards his former spot on the couch and stared at his brother with a puzzled look. "Bro, you've dated more girls than I have. You should know better."

Gendry leaned his head back on the couch and squeezed his eyes shut. "You've said it, bro. I've dated more girls than you did, but…"

_"Are you scared?"_

_"To death."_

_"It's not funny."_

_"I'm scared of not being with you."_

Gendry pressed the heel of his hand over his eyes. He could still hear the movie drone on in the background. "But it was never like this before."

Joffrey studied his older brother. Gendry seemed very happy with Arya but at the same time, he seems a teeny tiny bit miserable too. It wasn't the bad kind, though. Joffrey thought it was the kind of miserable where Gendry couldn't fully understand yet that despite his declaration of being _truly, utterly, hopelessly _in love with Arya, he still hasn't realized how he's stuck in this quicksand that's pulling him in deeper and deeper still.

The little Stark wolf has changed his brother and he hasn't fully realized it yet.

"You know, I think the only question you should be asking yourself is, _Am I happy_? _Do I make her happy? _And that's not even in the materialistic sense, you hear me? It's more of making each other happy; enjoying life as it comes to you one day at a time. Of course giving and receiving material things will make you happy. Sex will make you happy. But at the end of the day, it's not the things you gave or received nor is it the mind-blowing sex. It's all a question of _Was I able to make this person happy? _If you don't have that together, you won't be able to get through the difficult times. _Was I able to make her smile through her tears, make her laugh through the sobs? Was I able to change her rants into fits of laughter?_ Because if the only thing you want to do is to be with this person and make this person feel all these, that's how you truly know."

Gendry turned away from the tv and stared at Joffrey. They've had their moments, but they were okay as brothers. And for the first time in his 19 years, he's looking at his younger brother in a new light.

"Dickwad has brains, ladies and gentlemen."

Joffrey rolled his eyes and stood again. "Yes, ruin the moment, I beg of you."

Gendry watched as Joffrey walked away, smiling a little as he realized everything he said was true that suddenly, everything clicked.

"Hey, Joff?"

"Yeah?"

Gendry flashed him a huge grin. "Thanks, little bro."

* * *

It was 8 am when Bran and Rickon took a cab on their way to the address written on the piece of paper that Rickon had been clutching in his hand for the last thirty minutes. They took the last flight the night before and slept at the airport lounge until it was at least a decent enough hour to leave.

"Maybe we should call Arya and warn her first that we're on our way to see her," Rickon said as he stared at the passing scenery. King's Landing was definitely different from the cold of Winterfell and the gloomy Storm's End. He would have enjoyed the scenery more if only his tummy wasn't twisting into knots and the lump in his throat went away.

"I know," Bran replied, as equally absorbed with the scenery as his brother is. "Just give me time to think of how we're going to do this."

"Well, we're here, aren't we? We're getting hell from both King's Landing and Storm's End, right?" Rickon said, knowing full well that they will get hell from both their parents and their siblings.

"I know," Bran said. "I don't really care if they scold my ears off. But right now, I just wanted to get away from there for a while."

"Me too," Rickon replied. "Dad's…changed," he added sadly.

They watched as the cab finally pulled up in front of the biggest houses in the street and possibly even in the whole vicinity. It was bigger than their house back in Winterfell, and their house was already considered the biggest.

"This is it. The famous Baratheon residence," the driver said as he turned to look at the boys. "Is this where you wanted to go?"

The boys nodded at the same time as Bran handed him the fare. "Thank you."

The driver eyed them warily before shaking his head. "Young ones like you shouldn't be traveling on your own. Your parents in there?" he asked, nodding his head towards the house.

"Our sister," Rickon responded. "Thank you, sir," he said in farewell as he opened the door and stepped out, Bran following close behind.

When the cab sped off towards the end of the street, the brothers looked at each other, their eyes both showing more of the fear and less of the excitement now that they've reached their destination.

"Okay," Bran said, sitting on the sidewalk right across the house. "I'm turning my phone on now but only just to call Arya. I don't want Mom or Dad calling right now because I know they're going to start a search party for us as soon as they realize we're not home."

"Do you want me to call Robb or Jon?" Rickon asked, ready to turn his own phone on.

"No! We can only handle one battle at a time, and Arya's going to be tough, but Robb and Jon will be tougher."

Bran punched in Arya's number on speed dial and waited for a few minutes until she picked up.

* * *

"Seven hells."

The guys and Arya looked up as Gendry walked into the kitchen with a shocked look on his face. The guys burst out laughing, while Arya glared at him.

"Good morning to you too," Arya muttered, as she cracked two more eggs and adding them into a bowl. Gendry stared as she started beating eggs, grating cheese and slicing ham and bacon. "Are you going to just stand there while I make breakfast?"

Gendry stared at her stupidly.

Arya rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying to kill anyone, as Theon so very lovingly puts it. I'm cooking breakfast for everyone. Now what do you want-coffee or juice?"

"Coffee," he answered before taking a seat opposite Jon. "What's with her?" he whispered, leaning in closer to Jon who in turn snickered.

"I can hear you, stupid."

"I assume you haven't slept at all?" Joffrey said, taking a spoonful of omelette and calling out to Arya with a full mouth. "Mmmfff mfffmm mff!"

Gendry snatched a piece of toast on Theon's plate and said, "My pig of a brother says the food's really good."

"How the fuck did you even understand what he said?" Theon said with a laugh.

"Trust me," Gendry replied nonchalantly. "If he thinks the food tastes crap, he'd spit it out not a second longer after stuffing his mouth with it. This," he said, pointing to his brother's stuffed face. "Means the food is good."

Joffrey nodded, giving a two-thumbs up sign, his mouth still filled with food.

"Rude," Arya said as she placed a plate of newly-cooked omelette in front of Gendry, along with a mug of coffee. "Eat," she said to Gendry as she kissed the top of his head. "You look like hell."

"I try my best," Gendry teased, his arm going around her waist to keep her beside him. He tilted his head up and met her lips for a kiss.

"How domestic," Jon said with a small smile, although it came across as a slight cringe.

Arya laughed because she knows her brothers try hard to be comfortable with their small public displays of affection, but it was hardest for Jon because they were always the closest among their siblings.

The light banter was interrupted by the ring of Arya's phone which was on top of the kitchen counter. She stared at the caller ID and saw that it was Bran.

"Hey, Bran! What's up?"

Arya had one hand on her phone as she went about clearing things from the countertop and stove and onto the sink.

"WHAT?!"

The glass in her hand slipped, making her mutter a string of curses. "WHAT HAPPENED?"

The guys were suddenly on alert now, as they watched Arya converse with Bran on the phone.

"Is there a problem, Arya?" Robb's big brother instinct started kicking.

"Okay, just give me a minute," Arya said to Bran before looking over to her brothers. "Houston, we have a problem."

"What's going on?" Jon asked.

The guys were already standing and on alert. Arya held a finger up to them and said, "Stay here! I'll be back. But I'll meet you in my room because we have something to sort out. And don't do anything or call anyone yet, okay?" she warned them, before turning around and walking out of the kitchen.

* * *

They were all waiting in Arya's room when she returned ten minutes later, a worried and nervous expression evident on her face.

"What's wrong, Arya?" Jon asked again.

Arya held her both her hands up and said, "Okay,this is going to freak you out." She turned and headed out the door, only to return a few seconds later, a nervous Bran and Rickon in tow.

"What the fuck are you both doing here?" Robb cried out as he rushed over to his youngest brothers.

"It's a long story…" Bran started, backing a few steps away from Robb and hiding a little behind Arya's back.

"You better start from the beginning, Brandon," Jon said, his expression turning into one of anger.

The younger boys spent the next 15 minutes relaying the story of why they ran away and how they did it. The rest of the Starks couldn't believe that both boys just hopped into a plane and flew over to King's Landing.

"Who paid for your plane tickets?" Robb asked. "Aren't minors not allowed to travel alone unless with parental authorization?"

"We paid for the fare. We have money, you know," Rickon replied this time. "And remember Dad's former secretary? Apparently, he now holds a position for Westeros Airlines, so we only had to say Dad sent us to King's Landing to visit you guys."

Jon muttered a string of curses before going on. "I assume Mom and Dad hasn't realized you're both gone yet, since we haven't received a call or anything."

"We turned off our phones, and we're sort of hoping you won't call them _yet_," Bran said with pleading eyes.

"We have to tell them, Bran," Theon piped in. "We have to let them know that you're both here and safe. No matter how angry you both are at them, they're still your parents and they will worry about you."

As if on cue, Robb's phone suddenly gave a shrill ring, startling everyone in the room. He took one look at the caller ID and said, "It's Dad."

"Don't tell him yet! Please!" both boys pleaded.

Robb exhaled deeply. "I have to, boys. But we'll convince them to let you stay for a few days until you both realize that running away isn't the solution to anything."

"Come on," Gendry said, taking a hold of Arya's hand as he led the boys out of the room. "Let's get you some breakfast. Let your brothers talk to your parents and let them know you're welcome to stay here," he said, but mostly for Robb and Jon's benefit. He ushered them out of the room and led them down and into the kitchen.

* * *

"How was your first couple of days at uni?" Gendry asked that night, as he and Arya lay in bed after she snuck in his room a little before midnight.

"Okay," Arya said softly. Her fingers were tracing patterns on his chest, sneaking her hand under his shirt so she could feel the hard planes of his stomach and chest.

Gendry looked down at her and watched as her eyes were close to drifting shut, seemingly hypnotized by her own fingers as they traced invisible patterns on his skin. "Just okay?"

Arya sighed. "I'm sort of enjoying it…for now, at least. But at least I've made a few friends here and there, plus Edric's in most of my classes so things aren't as bad as I thought they would be."

Arya felt his muscles tense at the mention of Edric's name. "Gendry," she started, her tone a little exasperated. "Why are you still jealous of Edric?"

"Am not."

"Are too! This right here," she said touching the skin between his brows. "They get all scrunched up and you get this scowly face on you." Her hands crept underneath his shirt again and resumed tracing patterns on his chest. "Edric Dayne is an old friend and nothing more. You, on the other hand, mean everything to me."

Gendry felt his breath hitch in his throat. This is what gets his stomach tied up in knots. Arya and her little declarations of love has his head reeling and every single day, he feels he's being sucked in deeper into this vortex he calls emotions.

"I love you, Gendry. Do you doubt that still?"

"I don't," he whispered as his hand crawled to the back of her head and gently pushed her towards him. He met her lips halfway, taking her lips with his own in a kiss that was somehow not like the others they've shared before.

Everything about them tonight was filled with gentleness. Their kisses were slow and languorous; as if they had all the time in the world to explore each other. Their lips fit perfectly together; moist and soft and plump and so inviting. When their mouths opened hungrily against each other and tongues swept across lips and teeth before finally curling against each other, it was like testing their limits as to how far they could go with just this battle of lips and tongue. And still, somehow, everything felt unhurried, which made the feeling more exhilarating.

A deep groan rumbled from within Gendry's chest as he slowly took of her shirt, smiling as he realized that Arya wasn't wearing a bra. With a flip, he was on top of her and in control of everything. His hands crawled lazily up her breasts; kneading them softly before bringing his mouth down to gently suck on them. She cried out softly, bringing both of her hands to his hand and entangled her fingers within his hair. Her back arched as his tongue laved on each breast; kissing them softly after before backing away.

He let her take the rest of their clothes off, but when she tried to reach for him, he held both her hands above her head and kissed his way down her neck.

"You're not supposed to do anything tonight. I'll show you how you make me feel."

And Gendry did just that. He gave and gave and let Arya take everything he's giving. With every stroke and caress, with every push and pull, he gave it all to Arya and he let her know how much he needed this not just for himself but more for her. When he felt the first stirring of his orgasm, he made sure she was there with him before he gave into it, as if he waited until the right moment to stand atop the highest cliff before diving into the deep, ravenous depths of the ocean. Arya's cry was soft, but he felt her come hard, just like he was feeling at the moment. He felt her squeeze the life out of him, temporarily blinding him as he growled his fulfillment.

When it was over and he had a proper look at her face, he noticed the tears in her eyes as they fell down her cheeks.

"Why are you crying? Did I hurt you?" he asked, his face basked with worry.

She buried her face into his neck and sobbed. "No! I don't know why I'm crying."

Gendry kissed the top of her head and grinned. "Was it that good?"

"Yes, you idiot."

"I love you, Arya. God, I love you so much," he said without preamble. He didn't feel the need to add more to that because the words explained everything he wanted to say.

Arya cried harder this time, and Gendry had to kiss her again until she stopped.

"I love you," came her reply.

And sometime that night, as they lay together, Gendry dreamt of a little girl with dark hair and blue eyes and a little boy with the same hair and grey eyes.


	33. Chapter 33

Robb was on his way to school when he passed by Robert's study. The door was ajar, and he saw the man hunched over his laptop; papers strewn over his desk and a small box of pizza on one side of the desk. Robb thought about going on his way, but he thought talking to Robert about Bran and Rickon was the proper thing to do.

Robert looked up on the third knock, a smile spreading across his face upon realizing it was Robb. "Come in, come in! Are you off to uni?"

"Yeah. I just thought I should drop by to say thank you for letting my brothers stay a couple of days."

Robert waved a hand in dismissal. "Bah! I've already told you Starks that friends of the family are welcome to our home! It makes me and Cersei calm and reassured to know that you boys and Arya are keeping my boys company. You know how it gets when Cersei and I get swept away by work."

Robb nodded. "I know. It doesn't mean you had to take us all in, but you did. One Stark after another, you took us in. Thank you."

The man chuckled. "You know, you remind me so much of your father. Very honorable and always striving to do and say the right things."

"We learned from the best."

"Indeed."

Before Robb turned to leave, he said to Robert, "So Mom and Dad are flying in this weekend to pick up the boys. I assumed you've spoken to them about it?"

Robert nodded as he signed several documents. "Yes! Your parents insisted to stay in a hotel, but I insisted too that the only logical thing is to spend their stay here, catching up with you and your siblings. Too bad Sansa had to return to the Vale."

"She's bummed about it," Robb said with a chuckle. "Well, I have class in an hour so I might as well leave. Thanks again, Robert."

"The thanks are unnecessary, but you're welcome all the same."

* * *

"So it's twice a week of guitar lessons since I'm still on summer break, otherwise, it's just every Saturday," Tommen said as they walked out of _Jaqn's_.

"Your guitar teacher is pretty cool," said Bran. "I just don't understand why he has to talk in third person?"

Tommen shrugged. "I don't know why, either. For a time, I was speaking in third person that Joff and Gendry stopped talking to me for a while."

Bran and Rickon laughed. "It was funny, though!" Tommen added.

The three boys walked down the length of Trident Avenue and onto the huge water fountain in the middle of the business district. In the middle of the fountain and right on top of a pedestal, was a statue of a man who probably had an important role in King's Landing's history. But Tommen knew nothing about him as much as the Stark brothers did.

"So Gendry's picking us up here?" asked Bran, as they took a seat on the fountain's ledge. He dipped his fingers into the cool, refreshing water and wiggled them around.

Tommen nodded. "His class ends at 2 pm, so he'll be here in about 10 to 15 minutes after."

They spent a while watching the busy crowd go about their daily business, but time lagged long and slow when there was nothing else to do.

"I'm hungry," said Rickon.

"Gendry said he's taking us to _Castle Darry_ for late lunch, so we have to wait just a little longer before we could eat," said Tommen.

"I'll just grab something to drink, then. Be back in a few," Rickon said before crossing the street and onto the small café right across.

"I see Arya in Rickon," Tommen commented as soon as the younger boy was gone. "He's just as opinionated as she is."

Bran laughed a little. "By opinionated, do you mean wild and stubborn? That's a subtle way of putting it, but yes."

Tommen smiled. "I like Arya. She and Gendry complement each other really well."

Bran chuckled. "Are you sure you're only 11? I'd think you were older than me and Rickon. You're very mature about how you see things."

"Well, if you have brothers named Joffrey and Gendry, there must be someone who must take on the role of the mature one."

"Hey! No fair!"

Both boys turned around to see Gendry standing there with both hands on his hips. Bran looked sheepish at being caught talking about him behind his back, but Tommen only rolled his eyes. "Well, you're more mature than Joff, but still immature."

Gendry laughed. "Alright, Gramps. Want me to take that to the car first before we go?"

Tommen handed over the guitar case to his brother.

"Where's Rickon?" Gendry asked when he noticed the youngest Stark was missing.

Bran pointed towards the café across the street. "He got something to drink. He was hungry, though."

Gendry nodded and patted Bran's shoulder thrice. "I'll just be quick. Go get Rickon and we'll head over to _Castle Darry_ as soon as I get back."

* * *

Gendry watched as Bran and Rickon nodded their heads with every bite they took of their burgers. He grinned as both boys voiced out their approval of the food and the restaurant's set up.

"This is so cool!" Rickon exclaimed for the umpteenth time since they walked in. He kept looking around at the castle-themed establishment. The staff added a medieval feel to the place by donning costumes of knights, prince and princesses and court jesters. He kept running his hands over the wooden structure they were sitting on that was made to look like a wheelhouse.

"And the food is awesome!" Bran said, simultaneously shoving two potato fries into his mouth.

Gendry laughed. "It makes even a grown man like me excited about eating here. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Very!" Bran and Rickon said at the same time.

Gendry let the boys eat and talk for a while; watching them as they happily recounted stories about Winterfell and Tommen sharing his own stories about what it was like in the Baratheon household.

"So I went up to my dad and I said, _'A boy must have money to buy a new guitar for his lessons. A boy must hold claim to a Gibson Les Paul.' _And my dad said, _'A man must tell a boy that the answer is no' _and everyone started laughing!" Tommen said as he relayed a story about his third-person-Jaqn-speak phase.

"You were so annoying," Gendry said, reaching over to his brother's plate of fries and popping one into his mouth. "I swear I wanted to smack that guitar of yours over your head."

"Child abuse," Tommen said as he did the same with Gendry's plate of chicken nuggets. Taking the biggest one out of the rest and biting onto it, he added, "Joff walked around the house with his iPod just so he wouldn't hear me talk."

"Arya went through a similar phase when she and Edric were into this Beatles phase?" Bran said, oblivious to the fact that Gendry's back straightened when Edric's name came up. "They hung out a lot in her room," Bran went on. "And they played these records over and over again until Sansa lost it and broke every single one of her CDs. They got into a fight after that and I think Sansa lost a few clumps of hair because Arya had a pretty strong grip on it."

All three boys were laughing except for Gendry, who kept silent until he said, "Did they ever go out?"

Rickon's forehead creased. "You mean, date? Did they every date?"

Gendry shrugged as he took a sip of his iced tea.

"No. They're just friends," said Bran. "But I do think he was her first kiss."

Gendry choked on his iced tea. "So they've kissed?"

"If he was her first kiss, then obviously, they've kissed," said Tommen.

"Shut up," Gendry said before turning back to the Starks. "Did it happen many times or was it just that one kiss? Were you there? Did you see it? She said they're just friends and that he's harmless. Do you think he's harmless? Why didn't she tell me this?" Gendry babbled on as all three boys stared at him like he grew two heads.

Finally, Rickon said with an incredulous look on his face, "You're crazy."

Bran and Tommen laughed.

"You boys done?" Gendry asked instead, completely dropping the Arya-Edric subject. "Where do you boys want to go?"

"Tommen said you currently hold the top score for _House of the Dead_," Bran said with a smug look on his face. "We'll see about that."

* * *

"Long day?"

Gendry opened his eyes and found Arya standing there with a knowing grin. She must have heard about how Bran kicked his ass at the arcade, as well as his pride and dignity out the door. He patted the grass beside him, silently asking her to lie on the freshly-mowed lawn, and stare at the night sky much like the first time all those months ago. Arya got down and stretched out beside him, smiling as she tried to find the Big Dipper.

"Have you seen the Cassiopeia?" Gendry asked as soon as she was settled.

"Seven stars, right? Almost directly opposite the Big Dipper?" she asked.

"Right. So, have you?"

"That would be a no."

Gendry laughed softly. "Here," he said, taking Arya's left hand with his right and pointed it towards the seven star formation. "Others see it as an inclined chair or throne."

"Hmm," Arya hummed, as she let his hand trace the stars in the sky with hers. "If you could show me Draco, the Dragon, I'd make out with you right here, right now."

"Arya, that's like fifteen stars that make up Draco. I have no idea where it is," he complained.

"Well, better luck next time."

Gendry raised himself up and leaned on his elbows. "That's it? I don't get a consolation kiss or something? At least I knew there were fifteen stars that made up Draco!"

Arya shook her head. "Nope. Sorry."

Gendry exhaled noisily and laid back down. "Alright. How about we play a truth for a truth. I'll ask you a question, which you have to answer truthfully, and you'd get to ask your question and I'd do the same. Are you game?"

"Are these questions supposed to be wholesome only or anything goes?"

"Anything goes."

"Bring it."

Gendry placed an arm under his head and shifted to a more comfortable position. "Did you hate me back then when I stuck gum to your hair?"

"Nope. Just half angry."

"I don't believe that. If it were me, I'd go caveman crazy!"

Arya laughed. "But you see, I was more sad about cutting my hair than being angry with you. For some reason, I don't know why. Okay, my turn. Have you ever dated a girl whom Joffrey liked?"

Gendry tilted his head in thought. "I think there was one girl, ah…Jal? Joff had the biggest crush on her and we found out she had a crush on me. We went on a date once, but that was it. I felt bad for Joff afterwards. And besides, it just didn't feel right to hurt your brother like that."

"I'm impressed at the level of maturity."

"Ye of little faith," Gendry chuckled. "Okay, my turn. Have you ever had anyone go down on you?"

Arya sat up abruptly, making Gendry laugh out loud. "What the hell kind of question was that?"

"Hey! We've laid out the rules, remember? Anything goes."

"Um…no?"

"Are you asking me?"

"No, you idiot! The answer's no!"

"Which reminds me," Gendry said with a cocky grin on his face. "I haven't returned the favor yet."

"We'll get to that," Arya said, clearly embarrassed. "Shut up now, it's my turn. How old were you when you lost your virginity?"

"17."

"No shit?"

"Yes shit. And don't even ask to whom because it's not one of my proudest moments."

"You do know that that's the best way to get me curious about something, right?"

"Your turn's up. Last question of the night…"

Arya smacked his arm. "Last question?! I still have a lot to ask you!"

"We'll get to that," Gendry said, trying to hold back laughter. "So, since we know very well that it was I who took your virginity and taught you all you know right now about sex…"

"Oh, please!"

"Sshh, you're done talking. Arya Stark, who was your first kiss?"

Arya froze. _Shit. _She turned her head to the left and held his stare. The light moment was over and she knew Gendry found out something and wanted to find out for himself.

"I'm waiting."

"Edric Dayne."

"Talk to me."

Arya sighed. "It was just a first kiss, you know. Nothing serious! We were hanging out in my room and listening to music and then suddenly he leaned over and kissed me. We didn't get into that kind of relationship, we didn't even date, nothing. I guess Edric realized it too after the kiss. End of story."

Gendry was silent for a while until he said, "Hmm…'kay."

"So we're good?"

"That's all I need to know, Arya," he answered as he got up and brushed the grass off his clothes. Reaching a hand out to help her up, he said, "Come on. I'm hungry. I think there's left over spaghetti from dinner."

* * *

Arya woke up to a busy household. Everyone seemed to be rushing about, considering it was a Saturday. She found Nymeria sitting by the window, watching Ghost and Grey Wind run around the lawn with whom she hears to be Bran, Rickon and Tommen.

"Nymeria, to me," she said, patting the space beside her. At the command, her pet jumped on the bed and buried her head underneath the covers, making Arya laugh. "You're getting bigger everyday, baby. You're taking up most of my bed space now, hmm?"

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Arya? Make sure you have clothes on and that Gendry's not in there with you, because I'm coming in at the count of five."

"Come in, you dork! I just woke up," she called out.

The door opened and Jon walked in with Ghost at his heels. As soon as Nymeria saw Ghost, she jumped off the bed and play-wrestled with her brother. Jon commanded both pets out of the room before turning back to Arya.

"Hey, so Theon and I are driving to the airport to fetch Mom and Dad, so get your ass out of bed and get ready. We'll be back in about thirty minutes to an hour, tops."

Arya got out of bed and padded on to her closet, picking out one of Gendry's worn out shirts that she stole from his drawer, and her blue denim shorts. "Could you tell Bran and Rickon to get ready and then come up here, please? I want to talk to them before Mom and Dad comes," she said before going into the bathroom.

"Will do," he said before turning to leave. "Oh, and Arya? Cersei and Robert planned an impromptu barbecue party tonight. Remember, Mom's meeting Gendry for the first time. Make sure you warn him."

"I'm on it!" she called out over the sound of the shower.

_Well…this is going to be interesting._

If Gendry was able to get her dad's approval, well, her mom was a different case. She was stricter and usually had the upper hand when it came to discipline around the house since their dad was usually out there working. Add to that the fact that while growing up, her mom usually favored Sansa more, even if she wouldn't admit it. Maybe because she was always the rough and rugged type compared with her sister, and her mom was usually frustrated over her lack of grace and refinement. Arya was more like her brothers, and Catelyn didn't hesitate to voice out her frustration about it.

When she was dressed an ready, she went downstairs and found a few of the staff rushing to and from the kitchen, preparing what seems to be a barbecue feast fit for kings. She wondered if Robert and Cersei had other guests coming because it seemed like it. Shrugging the thought aside, she walked straight out the back and found her brothers and the Baratheon brothers playing dodgeball, while the wolves were running around in excitement over the game. She sat on one side and watched them outlast each other, laughing along as they laughed and trash-talked each other out there. It was a while before Gendry found her sitting there, a huge grin plastered on her face.

"Hey," he said as he sat beside her.

"Hey," she replied, watching him as he took off his shirt and wiped his sweat with it. He looked so hot without his shirt on, watching the play of muscles as he rubbed the shirt around his chest and arms before handing the soaking wet shirt to her.

"Eew."

Gendry laughed. "Wipe my back, please."

She made him turn his back to her and did her best to dry his back. She could feel the corded muscles as she dried his lower and upper back before moving on to his nape and then his hair.

"That feel's so fucking good," he mumbled as he titled his head back and let her rub the shirt to dry off the sweat in his hair. "I think I need a massage."

"Maybe Loras can help you find a masseuse," she joked.

"Haha, very funny," Gendry said, remembering the incident back in Highgarden. "But I wouldn't say no to a massage if you were to do it."

Arya playfully smacked the shirt behind his head. "Wow. Your own personal masseuse, how charming," she said before turning serious. "So, um, my parents are coming and obviously you've met them before. Well, my dad you've met when he came here, right? But you must remember my mom from trips back when we were little?"

"But I barely know her. She was a little scary for me, being strict and all."

Arya exhaled loudly. "Exactly. Which is why I'm a little nervous right now."

Gendry turned around to look at her. "Are you kidding me? I practically live with your brothers, I've met your dad, I've fed your wolves…seriously, Arya. How hard can meeting your mom be?"

* * *

He wanted to die.

Catelyn Stark was not everything she appeared to be. No one should underestimate her slim stature and short height and soft voice. Because beneath the petite appearance, Catelyn Stark was a dragon.

"So you're studying Structural Engineering," Arya's mother said as she regarded him with sharp eyes.

Gendry took a shaky breath before replying. "Yes…_ma'am_?"

_Fuck…was that too formal? That was too formal, right?_

He heard Robb and Jon snicker beside him and saw Arya roll her eyes from across the table. Good thing for him, Robert piped in at the right time.

"Gendry's very good with designing and analyzing. I may have to make use of his preferred profession once he finishes at university. Stark and Baratheon might have to push through with the building of hotels in the future, we'll never know," Robert said, his laughter booming around the dining room.

"I heard there are different specializations for every field. Why not bridge engineering? Why not industrial structures, mechanical structures like aircrafts, ships…why building engineering?" Catelyn inquired.

"I, ah, I've always been amazed with how a building is made right from scratch up until the design is in place. Just looking at a structure and thinking about how amazingly something was built out of nothing into something just piqued my fancy," he explained before taking a long sip of water.

The conversation jumped from their studies to business and onto a more boring subject of politics, until the adults let the younger ones go take a rest before tonight's barbecue party.

"Do I look medium rare or well done to you? Because I swear your mother was grilling me to perfection!" Gendry muttered as soon as they were out of earshot.

"You did fine, Gen. She's just like that, it isn't unusual of her."

"I was ready to die right there, Arya. And if she questioned me some more, I don't think I could make it past this weekend!"

Arya took pity on him and pulled him in for a kiss. "Relax, Gen. Remember, she isn't here to interrogate you. And right now, those two runaways are the ones who are going to get grilled."

They watched as Catelyn and Ned entered the privacy of Robert's study, with a nervous Bran and Rickon in tow. Arya's heart went out to her brothers, but at the same time she knew those two had to be told off for taking a plane-ride out of Storm's End.

"Come on," Arya said as she tugged Gendry towards the tv room. "The guys are back here. Just stop thinking about my mother for a while and relax."

* * *

"What were you thinking, boys? Why did you two run away?" Ned said as he sat on Robert's chair and faced his sons. "I'm sorry about missing the game, I truly am. But I would have preferred a kicking and screaming Brandon and Rickon to an empty bed at 7 am!"

"You don't know how crazy I went, running from room to room around the house and calling all the possible people you could have run to! Haven't we talked about Dad's problem at work?" Catelyn said, her voice rising a bit.

"You told us, Mom," Bran answered back. "You told us that if Dad says he's coming, he's coming. Well, that was the third time he said it and the third time he bailed out! At least now I know that Dad's consistent about things."

Catelyn's hand went smack across Bran's cheek on instinct before she took a step back in horror at what she'd done. Ned went and made her sit to at least calm her down, before Ned approached Bran.

"Bran, I'm sorry. You know how it is at work, we've explained it so many times already. And Mom's sorry too," Ned said, nodding in Catelyn's direction. "That Mom didn't make it either. We had an emergency to attend to and then a dinner meeting that night."

"You could have called, Dad," Rickon said. "We would have been disappointed, but we would have understood if only someone talked to us."

"I'm sorry. Both of you. But never do this again, boys. It's not something a parent would wish to find out at 7 in the morning. We thought something bad had happened to you," Ned said in a soft but firm voice.

"We're sorry too, Dad," Rickon said, nudging Bran on the side.

"We're sorry," Bran said at last.

Catelyn walked towards both boys and took both in her arms. "I'm sorry."

"You know what, I've been really stressed out at work and I probably need to spend more time with all of you. How about we make the most out of it?"

* * *

"Head!"

"Top?"

"Migraine!"

Arya smacked Jon's arm and cried out, "What do you mean _migraine_?"

Jon raised both hands. "Dad was pointing to the top of his head, I don't know!"

"Come on, guys! We've got ten seconds!" Ned resumed the gestures, pointing to his head and making actions of flattening out his hair, until Robb jumped from his seat.

"Toupee! Toupee!"

"Yes!" Ned shouted out in victory, hugging Robb as the Starks shouted their joy at their first win.

"Come on, babe!" Cersei called out as Gendry went in front and picked a card from the pile. "Let's show these Starks what Baratheons are made of!"

"Wow, Dad!" Joffrey called out to Robert. "You're married to a trash talker!"

Everyone laughed when Cersei nudged Joffrey's side with her bare foot. "Come on, babe! Strut your stuff!"

"Yeah! Strut your stuff!" Arya called out from the back of the room, earning more laughter from everyone.

Gendry winked at her and placed a hand over his lips to keep her quiet. "I hope you guys are ready for me because…"

He looked at the card he got and exclaimed, "What the fuck?"

The Starks burst out in laughter.

"Dead! Gendry's dead!" Robb said in between laughter.

He clapped his hands with renewed energy and cried out, "Alright! Let's do this!"

Everyone stared as Gendry made chewing actions, which he alternated between puffing his cheeks up like he was blowing something. After several failed attempts and more taunts from the Starks, Gendry looked around the room until his eyes fell on Arya, and then suddenly it clicked.

He almost laughed at himself when he resumed the chewing and blowing gestures, and then acting out something that had to do with something sticky and then pointing to his hair.

"Glue?"

"Ah! Ah! Conditioner?!"

Gendry kept up with the sticky gestures and pointing to his hair until finally, Joffrey jumped up and shouted, "Oh my god, bro!" Joffrey pointed to Arya while mimicking Gendry's gestures.

"BUBBLEGUM! BUBBLEGUM!"

Gendry raised his hand in victory and cried out, "WINNER!"


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Sorry for the delay! Thank you...yes, you...if you're still reading this! There's probably about 3 or 4 chapters left after this & then it's done.**

**Hope you could do me a favor & leave reviews. I don't get much anymore, & I'd still want to hear what you guys think, especially now that I have to know where this is going.**

**As usual...GRRM is a genius.**

* * *

Bran found Arya in her room, typing furiously on her laptop. He noticed she had several books plus papers strewn all over her desk; he assumed she was busy doing something for school. He hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door twice, making Arya look up from her school work and giving her younger brother a smile.

"Hey, Bran!" she said before biting on her pen and resumed typing.

Bran sat on the edge of the bed behind Arya's desk and said, "I know you're busy, but do you have a minute?"

Arya made a few last strokes on the keyboard before taking the pen out of her mouth and faced him. "I'm all ears. What's up?"

"So…we're leaving tomorrow morning…and uh…I just wanted to say thank you for letting us stay here."

"It's not my house, Brandon. You should thank the Baratheons," Arya said softly. She got off her desk chair and sat beside him on the bed instead, giving him a small nudge to ease his tension.

"I've already thanked them, well, except for Gendry," Bran said with a smile. "I wanted to give him something so I figured I should thank him last."

Arya's eyes squinted out of curiosity. "And what is it you're going to give him?"

A grin spread across Bran's face. "Oh, nothing fancy. Trust me, it's not something I bought, but it'll probably mean more to him than you could imagine."

"Okay, now I'm really curious," said Arya. "But okay. I won't push you into saying what it is."

"But you'll find out about it, I'm sure."

"Which is why I'm not going to push you into saying it because I can do it to Gendry instead."

Bran laughed. "I like your boyfriend, okay? He loves you for who you are, so don't do anything stupid to make him think otherwise."

"Here we go again on the topic between Mature Bran versus Immature Arya," Bran said as he got up to leave. "Anyway, I have to find Gendry now. I'll catch you later?"

"Later, Bran."

* * *

Robert rubbed his temples to ease the ache. He and Ned were discussing the latest developments on S & B Corporation. They were getting close to the root of the problem, and unfortunately for them, a Bolton was attached to it.

"Roose Bolton has been involved in several drug trafficking operations," Ned said, leaning back on the leather swivel chair right across Robert's. "So he's dealing with people who cultivate, manufacture, distribute and sell drugs. And these aren't just regular people, Robert. We're dealing with big name companies and prominent families."

Robert let out an expletive. "The bastard's dealing with these people and we don't know if he's been using S & B Corporation's name while doing so!"

Ned rubbed his chin while deep in thought. He never did like Roose Bolton and the people he was dealing with. "He probably is. I still need to get to the bottom of this, and it's been a hard and grueling investigation because we had to be careful about who we're questioning. We have to make sure we're not questioning rats."

Robert nodded as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "Ned, I need to tell you something about Bolton. But it happened months ago, and none of these kids know that Cersei and I know."

Ned felt nervous when he heard him say kids, and wondered anxiously if his sons, nephew and daughter had anything to do with it. But he patiently waited until Robert was ready to tell. He watched as his friend poured two glasses of whiskey and took the one he offered. He knew the alcohol was supposed to calm his nerves, but it only served to make him more nervous.

"Drink," said Robert as he poured himself a second glass. "You'll need it."

Ned took a drink of the whiskey and found Robert watching him with such uneasiness. Dreading the worst news but not able to hold it off much longer, he drank the last of the whiskey in his glass and nodded to Robert to continue.

"Roose Bolton's son, Ramsay, was arrested for using and dealing," Robert explained in all seriousness. "There were about three or four of them, but one cut ties when he realized where it was heading. In fact, this guy made the call to the cops."

Ned frowned. It was a serious case, but he didn 't know how he should be concerned about it aside from the fact that Ramsay is the son of the man they were running an investigation on.

"Your nephew almost got himself tied up with these guys, had he not backed out sooner," Robert said, hearing the hitch in Ned's breath and bracing himself for a whole different reaction when he tells Ned more. "And Ramsay had a…what do kids call it nowadays? He had a thing for…Arya."

Robert was surprised at how fast Ned stood from his chair. Ned had a look that was filled with anger, something that he hasn't seen in a long time since his sister, Lyanna, was killed in an accident.

"Did the bastard do anything to hurt my daughter?" Ned growled out the question, and Robert had never seen his friend look more like his children's wolves than at that moment.

"You need to calm down if I'm supposed to tell you more," Robert said, placing a hand on Ned's shoulder to help him calm down. He watched as his friend finally sat back down before he went on relaying the incident. "Ramsay had a thing for Arya. On the night of one of a friend's party, Ramsay and his buddies were getting high in one of the rooms until my son's friend, Sandor, called the cops. Unfortunately, Ramsay found Arya and cornered her in one of the rooms. Our sons were there to save Arya just before the bastard could do anything to her."

Ned seemed to be in pain at hearing all this. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? I have the right to know about this, Robert!"

Robert held his hands up and said, "I'm sorry, Ned, but I only found out recently when I ran into my friend at the station. But it's all taken care of. Ramsay's in jail, so there's no need to worry about him doing harm out there." Placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, he added, "Arya's safe now. Our children are safe."

Seemingly appeased, Ned nodded and relaxed a bit before sitting back down. "Let's get back to the problem with the company so we could finally get things in order."

* * *

"Let go! Let go, Ghost!"

Jon found Rickon in a tug of war competition with his pet when he stepped out into the lawn. His youngest brother was tugging a grey cloth that Jon immediately recognized as Robb's old t-shirt. It was a funny scene he was watching; Rickon holding on tightly to one end of the material while Ghost was biting on the other end. They were pulling on both ends, although it seemed like Ghost was winning. His pet's size was no contest to his brother's thin frame, and Rickon was frustrated because he was aware of this.

"What are you two doing?" Jon asked as he approached them. Immediately, Ghost and Rickon let go of the shirt, and Jon bent to grab it from the ground. "This is Robb's shirt!"

Rickon pointed a finger at Ghost, as if he were a child. "I wanted to pull a prank on Robb and hide his shirt, but Ghost wanted to play tug."

Jon held up the shirt and raised his brows when he found it stretched beyond recognition. "You ruined Robb's shirt! This is his favorite shirt! He's going to kill you!"

"Ghost is as much at fault as I am!" Rickon argued.

Jon sighed. "See, this is where the problem lies, Rickon. You're being childish. You and Bran, okay? Running away from home isn't the solution, even if Mom and Dad are at fault."

Rickon frowned. "Weren't we talking about Ghost and that t-shirt he destroyed?"

"Technically, yes. But the point is, some actions are derived from rash judgements and immature thinking. If you and Bran had a problem with Mom and Dad breaking numerous promises, you talk it out because that's the mature thing to do. You don't just sneak out in the middle of the night, jump on a plane and go wherever you think is safe to go. Sometimes talking it out saves you a plane ticket to somewhere. You understand what I'm saying here, kiddo?"

"Yes. And I'm not a kid."

"Then prove it."

"When did you get so old and grumpy?"

"Since the day you younger ones were born."

"I'll let Sansa, Arya and Bran know you said that."

"I've already told them."

Rickon finally laughed, making Jon join in the laughter. "Promise me you won't do anything brash like this again in the future?"

"I promise."

Jon nodded. "Good. Now, what are you going to do about Robb's shirt?"

"Ahh…so that's a shirt?"

Jon and Rickon turned to find a grinning Gendry standing there, with Bran and Tommen behind him. Jon waved a hand at the shirt and said, "Robb's shirt, but long story. What's up?"

"I'm taking the boys for a little ride around town," Gendry said, jingling his car keys around his fingers. "It's their last day in King's Landing and I figured I'd take them out for a spin."

"Is Arya coming too?" Jon asked, rubbing Ghost's soft, white fur in half-distracted motions.

Gendry shook his head. "No, she has a paper due Monday and that sister of yours hasn't even started a thing."

"Sometimes, I like the way your brain works, Baratheon," Jon said with a chuckle.

"Genius, I know," Gendry replied with a smirk, before turning around to the younger boys. "You boys ready to go?"

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me, Robb? I expect better of you," Ned said as he huffed out his frustration. "Something bad as that happened and no one…_not a single one of you_…picked up the phone and called to tell me what happened!"

Robb, Jon, Theon and Arya sat on the couch with heads hung low, as Ned told them off for not informing him about the Ramsay incident. Catelyn was sitting on the other end of the couch right across their children, looking distraught and bothered, although she left the scolding to her husband.

"Because this is exactly how you'd act, Dad," Arya reasoned out. "If something _did_ happen, we would have called immediately. But they got there in time and Ramsay's in jail now, so what's the use of getting you and Mom worried about it?"

"That's not even the point, Arya," Catelyn finally said. "We are your parents. We're supposed to know if something good or bad happens to you all!"

"Yeah, like discovering Bran and Rickon were missing only at seven the following morning?" Arya said, but biting her tongue as soon as the words left her mouth. She felt Robb nudge her side with his elbow, and she tried her best not to nudge him back.

"I know you're all not going to let that one go, but this is far more important than those boys running away from home. We're sorry for not being there for them as we're supposed to, but as I've explained countless times, there is a problem at work and in fact, it's something really serious because it involves the Boltons."

The Stark siblings and Theon were taken by surprise, and immediately, the questions started pouring out of their mouths. Ned raised both hands to stop the barrage of questions.

"Nothing gets past this room, do you all understand me?" Ned asked, and satisfied only when they all gave their nods. "There is a drug-related problem within the company, and it involves cultivation, manufacturing and dealing of drugs to several big-time business partners. The money that comes in is exorbitant, but they're dragging the company's name down with them, which is why I was called to Storm's End to help investigate."

"I'm sorry, Uncle," Theon said to Ned. "But how is Ramsay involved in this?"

"Ramsay's father, Roose, is a business partner of S & B."

"Like father, like son!" Robb said with a sneer. "That prick is already paying in jail, though."

"And I hope he stays there long enough for his father to join him," Ned said, taking a seat beside Catelyn. "Guys, promise me that you won't get involved with the Boltons, whether directly or indirectly. This is a dangerous family, and I don't want Starks and Baratheons to be in contact with any of them."

Everyone nodded except Theon, who said, "And Greyjoys. Starks, Baratheons and Greyjoys."

Ned chuckled. "Yes, Theon."

Robb finally stood and said, "We got that, Dad. No messing with the Boltons."

Ned nodded. "No messing with the Boltons."

* * *

Gendry watched and listened as the three boys talked animatedly during the drive around town. They dropped by _Castle Darry_ for a quick snack, then heading over to a couple of stores and the video arcade. Before they went home, Gendry decided to make a quick detour and drove straight to his and Arya's favorite spot overlooking the city. He's never seen Tommen this excited, and he was thankful for Bran and Rickon's company because his little brother felt as carefree as an 11 year-old should be.

"Having fun, boys?" Gendry asked as he took a quick glance at the rearview mirror. They were laughing over a story Rickon was telling, and they nodded at Gendry in answer. "We're almost there."

Following the road's curves, he steered the car smoothly until he took the last right turn and onto the spot that was overlooking the city. The sun was a blazing orange in the horizon as it started to set, preparing the sky to be enveloped in the darkness of the night sky. When Gendry finally put the car to a stop, the three boys practically jumped out of the car and were happy to roam around the area after an hour's drive. He let them watch the city below; with its lights and signs and colors dotting the vast horizon, making Gendry think that this was a good idea. He instantly thought of Arya, and wondered if she was done with her report. Taking out his cellphone, he punched her number on speed dial and waited until she picked up the call.

"Miss me already?"

Gendry laughed. "Guess where we are right now."

"Hmm…is it somewhere wholesome enough for my brothers?"

He laughed again. "We're at our favorite spot."

Arya chuckled. "Our favorite _make out_ spot?"

"Ha! You got it!"

"How are the boys?"

Gendry looked over the the ones in question and grinned when he saw them laughing and pointing towards the city below. "They're having a good time."

"I can actually hear the laughter. I'm proud of you, Gen."

Gendry smiled. "I miss you."

"But you just saw me earlier."

"Doesn't make me miss you less."

Arya laughed softly, her voice turned husky when she said, "I miss you, too."

"Wish you were here."

"You know how much I love my family, right? But I'm actually sort of glad they're leaving tomorrow because I haven't been kissed properly in close to a week."

"You know how I love your family too, but yes, I agree with you."

Arya laughed again. "Patience, babe. You'll find yourself rewarded greatly."

Gendry almost groaned out loud. "I'm recording this conversation."

"Tomorrow."

Gendry frowned. "Can't you sneak into my room tonight?"

"You know that my parents' room is right across mine, right?"

"So? Your brothers are right beside yours and they haven't said anything about hearing you sneak out."

"My father sleeps with one eye open."

It wasn't hard to imagine Ned Stark doing just that so Gendry only laughed and said, "Tomorrow then."

"Don't let the boys jump off the cliff."

"All right, all right, I'm ending the call now. See you later when I get home."

"Love you."

A grin broke out on Gendry's face, and he replied, "Love you."

As soon as he put his phone back into his pocket, he found an amused Bran standing a couple of steps away from him, a huge smile plastered on his face.

"I assume that was Arya?"

"How'd you guess?"

Bran laughed. "Well, aside from the _'love you'_ and that stupid grin on your face, I don't think you'd react the same way if you were talking to Joff."

"Well, they did say you were the clever one, Bran Stark."

The smile faded from Bran's face, to be replaced by a serious one. "I, uh, have something to give you, Gendry. It's not much, but I think you'll like this."

Gendry watched as Bran reached into the back pocket of his jeans and handed him something inside a white envelope. With great curiosity, Gendry raised his brow in question, and Bran only nodded his head to let him know that it was okay to open it. Peeling the flap open and peeking inside, Gendry's face turned from curiosity to awe, and just then Bran knew he did the right thing.

"Thank you, Bran. I love it and I'm glad you gave this to me."

"Take care of my sister. She loves you more than she thinks she does."

* * *

_Gendry: So there's no chance of you sneaking in tonight?_

_Arya: We already discussed this earlier. Do we need to discuss it again through text?_

_Gendry: Just sayin!_

_Arya: Imagine me rolling my eyes right now._

_Gendry: Go to sleep, Arya._

_Arya: So now you can't wait to get rid of me?_

_Gendry: Shut up. Good night, Arya !_

_Arya: You shut up. Good night, Gendry!_

Gendry almost placed his phone on the bedside table when another text message came.

_Arya: Bran said he wanted to give you something. Care to elaborate?_

_Gendry: I don't know what you're talking about._

_Arya: CONNIVANCE! CONSPIRACY!_

_Gendry: Good night!_

He waited a while longer until he was sure Arya would no longer respond to his last text, before placing his phone on his bedside table. His fingers touched the smooth, white envelope as it lay beneath his cellphone. With a smile, he pulled the envelope from beneath and lifted the flap once more, before reaching inside to pull out a five year-old colored photograph. He flipped it over and stared at the scene immortalized on photo paper, soft laughter erupting from his lips as he recalled the day it was taken.

It was the summer when they went on vacation at the beach house; the blue and green waters of the sea served as a background to a cute 11 year-old Arya grinning at the camera, her arm was flung around a chubby 12 year-old Gendry's shoulders. They were both grinning when the photo was taken; when Joffrey was crying in the background because he was digging into the sand and got his fingers snapped at by a crab.

Gendry reached for the frame on his bedside table; the one with a photo of him and his brothers; and pried it open so he could slide the photo over the old one. Placing the frame back on the table, Gendry stared at it until his eyes grew heavy with sleep.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Thanks for reading & reviewing! This chapter contains smut, so skip that part if you're not into that. You have been warned.**

**This one goes out to starkwaters, because she's the best Gendrya shipper I've ever known. :)**

* * *

Arya did her best to keep up with Professor Hodor's lecture and still keep up with typing the notes on her laptop. They were in Advertising class, and Arya found it to be really interesting albeit challenging. Professor Hodor was a pleasant surprise, too, that despite his boring appearance, he was one hell of a riot in the lecture room.

"People get rejected every day," Professor Hodor said, as he walked up and down the aisle. "Boys get rejected by girls, girls get rejected by boys. Even well-known celebrities get rejected at aspired roles. Rejection is part of our lives, and it's most common in advertising."

Hodor walked back towards the front and faced the class, leaning on the desk as he folded his arms over his chest. "Advertisers get constant rejection from their bosses because excellent work is demanded of them. And then there's the client, who even after the boss's approval, may still accept or reject the proposed project. Not every concept you creat and not every idea you come up with will get an approval. And you won't always win awards for the projects you spearhead. But coping with the rejection is a survival skill that the people in this creative line of work should develop and master."

Arya listened as the professor droned on with his lecture about the creative media. She seemed genuinely interested that she almost jumped out of her seat when Edric lightly nudged her foot with his, making Arya turn towards him abruptly.

"What?" she hissed at him.

"The guys from the archery team are throwing a party this Saturday," he whispered as he leaned closer to Arya. "Do you want to drop by? You can bring Gendry with you."

Arya shifted so she was facing the front, although she was leaning towards Edric so she could still hear him. "I don't know if he's free this Saturday. I think he has plans already."

"Then why don't you go alone? Or I mean meet us at the party even without Gendry?"

"I'm not so sure," she whispered back.

Professor Hodor's voice cut through the air as he called Edric's name. "Do you have something important to talk about, Dayne and Stark? I'm sure the corridor is most suited for your storytelling hour."

Edric and Arya stared at him, not daring to say anything more. When Hodor finally turned his back to walk behind the teacher's desk, he called out a question once again.

"Who once said that _'very, very few can write funny commercials that are funny?'_' Mr. Dayne, you might have the answer lurking somewhere inside your head?"

Sitting straighter in his seat, he muttered to Arya, "We'll see you on Saturday, Stark," before responding to Professor Hodor's question. "David Ogilvy."

* * *

Robb slabbed a generous amount of mustard in his sandwich before grabbing the last slice of bread and placing it on top of his three-layered sandwich. His stomach growled at the scrumptious sight, but it didn't last for long. Right across the kitchen island, Grey Wind, Ghost and Nymeria were staring at him as if begging for a scrap of meat. He tried to ignore them by putting jars back into the pantry and fridge, as well as washing the utensils in the sink. He gave occasional glances in their direction, and almost laughed to see that all three wolves were closely watching him; following his movements with their head as if watching a tennis match. With a chuckle, he took out the remaining meat from the package and handed them a piece each, much to their delight. Unconsciously, he began to softly sing the chorus to _Hungry Like A Wolf _as he fed the pets piece after piece of meat.

_"Straddle the line in discord and rhyme, I'm on the hunt I'm after you…"_

Arya stopped by the doorway and listened as her brother sang the _Duran Duran_ classic, trying her best not to be seen by the wolves. She covered her mouth to stifle a giggle as she listened to his off-key version of the song.

_"Mouth is alive with juices like wine, and I'm hungry like the woooooolf!"_

Not able to hold it off any longer, she started clapping her hands, and Robb jumped up in surprise as Arya walked into the kitchen. The wolves rushed over to her side, and were rewarded by kisses and fond pats on their head. She dropped to her knees and let Nymeria lick the side of her face, laughing as she tried to keep the wet tongue away from her face now. "Hey, baby! I think you've grown more since you got here."

"They're always hungry," Robb said, finally putting everything away. "How was your day?

Arya sighed. "Tiring. I don't know how many more reports and presentations I could handle before this year ends."

"And you've only just started," chuckled Robb. "You want me to make you a sandwich?"

Arya's face brightened at the thought of food. "Yes, please!"

While Robb made another sandwich for her, Arya took out her books and notes and frowned at how much she still has to accomplish before the week ends. "I can't even concentrate right now," she muttered before shutting her _Advertising_ book with a loud smack. She stretched and yawned, mumbling a quiet thanks at Robb when he placed her sandwich in front of her.

"Eat first," he said. "You might feel better with a full stomach."

"Thanks, Dad."

Robb laughed. "Hey, I do know how to look out for my siblings!"

"And I love you for it, Robby" Arya said with her mouth full.

"I'm not Robby, okay! It sounds like a four year-old whiny little boy."

Arya laughed. "Kill joy."

"Hey, I'm actually going out with a few of the guys in my class," he said, changing the subject. "We're going out for a couple of beers and Jon and Theon are coming with us."

Arya nodded. "Have fun."

"And since Robert and Cersei flew to Storm's End with Mom and Dad, there's no one home except for a few of the staff and you. Make sure the house is locked up, okay?"

"Where's Joff and Tommen?"

"Tommen's staying with Renly for a few days and Joff's class ends at 5. He's meeting us at the bar as soon as he gets out."

"Is Gendry coming with you?"

Robb shook his head. "Nope. He said something about rushing home after class for some _unfinished business_ with his _Anatomy_ report?" Robb frowned as he explained. "I didn't even know they had _Anatomy_ subjects in _Engineering_?"

Arya almost snorted out laughter because she knew whose _anatomy_ Gendry would be studying about tonight."Have fun with the guys!" she said, trying not to sound too cheerful lest she gave herself away.

"We'd probably get back late so I'll see you tomorrow morning instead," Robb said with a wave as he exited from the kitchen.

Arya called out before he was totally out of earshot. "How late will you guys be out?"

"Probably after midnight!"

With a victorious _"Yes!"_, she took out her phone and sent Gendry a message.

_"Stupid, how fast can you drive home without breaking the speed limit?"_

* * *

The board room was filled with business partners of the Starks and Baratheons. They have been discussing in great detail where they were in the Bolton case, and everyone agreed that it would be best to have the authorities involved as soon as possible, to avoid prolonging the matter. It was tedious a task, but it had to be done. Those involved should no longer be allowed to drag the reputable name of the company as well as its owners.

"So it's been months, possibly years, that Roose had been dealing with this and we had no knowledge of it?" Robert's booming voice filled the room as he stood abruptly from his chair. "What are the audit people doing? Nothing? Or are they in on this too?"

Cersei placed a hand over her husband's arm to get him to calm down, which helped a little because Robert sat back down and nodded to her. Rubbing his temples with his fingers to ease the pain, he turned to one of his partners and asked if they had enough evidence to push through with the case filing.

The man nodded. "Yes, sir. We have documents and video and phone records, meeting logs, ledgers, contracts and photos from the private investigators. We got the full support of our business partners and investors because they too ar worried about how this would affect the business in the long run."

"Good," Robert said before turning to Ned. "Good work, Ned. You and your men deserve a bonus for finding out about this shit Bolton's running, my friend. Do not doubt that."

Ned frowned. "I'm not doing this for the reward, Robert."

"Don't you think I know that?" Robert exclaimed, patting Ned's shoulder with his beefy hands. "You're one of the most honorable men I've ever known, Stark. I know you're doing this for the company, but I'm giving the bonus to you and your men anyway."

Ned looked at Catelyn and found her staring warily back at him. They were not one to ask others to sing them praises, but they knew Robert would still insist. Any which way it ends up, it would be a blessing and so Ned just nodded in understanding and muttered his thanks. "I'd still prefer that you reward the employees, Robert. That would be more fitting. Besides, Bolton is still out and about. We shouldn't be thinking about rewards yet until he's behind bars with his son."

One of the business partners cleared his throat to call their attention. "Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Stark. But are you saying his son Ramsay is in jail?"

Ned nodded the affirmative. "He was caught a few months back using and dealing. He's behind bars now, so there's no need to worry."

The man frowned. "But sir, my son used to be a friend of Ramsay Bolton. He mentioned to me the other day that he ran into Ramsay at a club last weekend."

Ned, Robert, Cersei and Catelyn all looked at each other with shocked and worried faces.

"Last weekend?" was all Catelyn could say out loud.

The man nodded, his face now equally masked with worry. "I'm afraid we've got two Boltons to worry about now."

* * *

"Okay, watch as she gets hit by the ball and she has to pretend to be in pain!"

Arya laughed as she listened to the excitement in his voice. They were watching a movie in the tv room; her back was pressed against his front, their legs entangled with each other's as they half sat-half laid on the enormous couch. Arya watched as the female lead, who's actually pretending to be her twin brother, was hit squarely in between the legs. Figuring that she was supposed to be a guy and getting hit in the balls with most definitely hurt, she pretended to scream in pain. Arya and Gendry both laughed at how comical the scene was played out, and Arya laughed more because Gendry seemed to be enjoying himself despite his busy day.

"You want me to get you anything to eat?" she asked, turning her head a little so she could look at him.

He stared at her for a while before answering. "I think there's left over pie from last night?"

Arya had to think hard about what pie he was talking about because Gendry's lips started trailing along the length of her exposed neck. She was wearing her loose sweater, and the neckline was big enough for it to fool loose down one shoulder. Finding access to her smooth skin, Gendry seized the chance and started placing soft kisses over the skin of her neck and right down to her exposed shoulder.

"Gen," Arya whispered. "Pie, remember?"

"Hmm…" was all Gendry's response. He mumbled a few more as he dragged his lips up and down the column of her neck, lingering on her sensitive pulse spots, and making Arya tilt her head back so as to give him more access to it. "You smell soo good…hmm…"

She let him kiss her up to the underside of her jaw, until she felt his warm, calloused hands sneak under her sweater and onto her bra-covered breasts. Putting all her energy and effort to it, she covered his hands with hers and pushed them away.

"Not yet," she muttered before getting up from the couch and putting distance between them. "First, I'll get you some food. You're going to need the energy," she said before exiting the room. She sneaked a peek at his reaction and found him staring open-mouthed at her little game. Before he could go after her, she dashed out of the room and walked towards the kitchen.

It wasn't long before he came after her. She was placing a slice of the peach mango pie on a small plate when he went to the fridge to take out a bottle of water. Without a word, he twisted the cap and took large gulps of the liquid, fighting a grin as he watched her watch him with a hungry expression. _Two can play the game_, he thought, and at that moment he figured they were equally scored.

They took the food with them as they returned to the tv room, although all thoughts of watching the movie had already fled their minds. They sat on the couch within a few spaces from each other, staring at the tv but nothing is really so interesting anymore. She watched distractedly as he leaned back on the couch, arms placed under his head, his shirt rising a little to reveal the strip of skin between his shirt and the waistband of his jeans. Unbeknownst to Arya, Gendry was watching her all the same and feeling the same fast beat of his heart as he watched the neckline of her sweater ease down some more to reveal more of that sweet-tasting neck of hers. He almost groaned out loud when she stretched her back and neck and moaned at the effort, and Gendry had to forcibly tear his eyes from staring at her to staring back at the tv.

"We're pathetic," Arya muttered, inching her way across the couch and closer to where he was.

"Why are we pathetic?" Gendry asked, although he sort of already knew the answer.

"We're sitting here, pretending to watch a movie when we're alone in the house and we could absolutely do anything we want," she said as she finally crawled over to straddle his lap, earning a groan from him at the feeling of having her center pressed tightly to his now semi-erection.

"You're pretty clever, aren't you?" he muttered as he finally got to her neck for the second time, his warm hands sneaking underneath her sweater to touch the bare strip of skin of her hips and lower back. He heard her hiss her disappproval when his hands gripped her hips to keep her from making further movements over his hardened state.

"What are you doing, stupid?" she muttered angrily when his hands went around her back and onto her shoulders to pull her back for a bit.

"There's no rush, Arya. Take it slow," he mumbled his reply.

"I don't want it slow! I want now, Gen!" she cried out in frustration, and Gendry felt smug that he was able to make her feel this way.

"As m'lady commands," he muttered before his lips crashed hard over hers.

This was no sweet kiss, nor was it a slow one. It was all impulsive fire and careless abandon. Their mouths slanted over each other's again and again until there was nothing else to do but to drown in each other's need. Gendry's fingers went to the button of Arya's jeans and popped them open, and Arya took the hint by getting off his lap for a few seconds to slide them down the length of her legs until she could kick them off her and onto the floor. Her panties came off next, and were now laying on top of her discarded jeans. Gendry, on the other hand, took both his jeans and boxers off at the same time, without actually getting off the couch. He was all thumbs because of his hasty movements, but he finally managed to lift his ass off the seat and slide them down his legs. They were still bunched up at his ankles and not completely off when Arya straddled him again, making him groan once her center came in contact with his now-full erection.

Her lips went straight to his neck, sliding up until she pressed wet kisses down the line of his jaw. He couldn't control the moan coming out of him; because Arya, even as hot and giving as she turned out to be during sex, this was the first time he'd seen her lose control like this. He liked it though, and let her take the reins and lead him however she wants him to be led.

Her hand crept downwards until he felt her holding his hard length, and Gendry thinks he almost fainted. He let her hand stroke him up…down…hard…soft…but it was all fast and he realized it too. He was close to coming at this point, but he wanted to be with Arya when he reaches it. With a grunt, he lifted her a little so she was poised over his tip, making her eager hands stop their motions for now. As if on cue, she took him in and felt his hard, smooth length slide into her, and Arya had to squeeze her eyes tightly shut before she could explode from the sheer carnality of it.

Seeing her throw her head back with eyes tightly squeezed together, he growled when he felt her hips move of its own accord. She lifted herself slowly at first, switching from upward and downward motions to rotating her hips at a full circle. Gendry threw his head back and groaned louder than he did earlier, and his right hand let go of her left hip and pressed them over his eyes.

"Fuck," he moaned as she started taking him in faster, the sound of flesh slapping flesh added to the sound of their shallow breaths and audible groans. Taking the pressure of his hand off his eyes, he placed it back on her hip and gripped it tighter, lifting her a little until he slid a little down the couch and started taking control of the movements. Her moans came out a pitch higher when he started pumping hard and fast into her, and she called his name out repeatedly until it almost sounded alien even to his own ears.

"Don't…stop…oh god…" she cried out when he felt her freeze on top of him and let him take over from thereon. "Don't…fucking…stop…Gen!"

Their bodies were slick with sweat, making Gendry's grip on her hips slip from time to time. Arya's were clawing his shoulders, and he could feel the bite of her nails as she lost all thought and gave in to a purely physical state of consciousness. During his sharp movements, he must have hit the right spot because Arya suddenly shrieked his name out and started cursing repeatedly, and Gendry knew she was close to the edge.

"Close…so close…" she cried out. "So…fucking…close…oh god…"

With renewed effort, he wound his arms around her and took her harder still, crying out in short, panted breaths, "Come on, baby…come on…"

When Arya's cries stopped and he watched her head fall back, her mouth agape, Gendry's hand sneaked between their connected bodies and his thumb flicked over the sensitive nub of flesh. A strangled cry came out of Arya, and Gendry put a little more pressure to it until she finally gave in to her orgasm.

"Coming, Gen…coming…" she panted softly this time until he felt her squeeze the life out of him. He came with her then, and Gendry shouted an expletive at the strength of how it came.

"Fuuuuuck…" he groaned as she let him ride his orgasm until they both felt their limbs turn to jelly. Arya's body fell onto his, and he was surprised that he had the strength to wind his arms around her still-shaking form.

It was some time later before they could speak, and Gendry was the first to say something. "You okay?" he whispered, noticing how she shivered when his breath tickled her sensitive ears.

"Mm-hmm…" she mumbled in reply, not even daring to lift her head from the crook of his neck.

"Happy Arya?" he said with a soft chuckle. He ran his fingers up and down the length of her back, and he felt her skin prickle with goose bumps at his touch.

"Happy Arya," she replied with a chuckle of her own. "Happy Gendry?"

"_Very_ happy Gendry," he said before pressing a kiss to her temple.

Before she could fall asleep, Gendry turned the tv off and reached for their clothes on the floor, all these while they were still connected. Shoving their clothes to Arya, he stood from the couch, making Arya cry out in surprise. She felt how he was half soft-half hard inside her, and the feeling was fucking amazing.

"So soon?" Arya teased, as Gendry carried her out of the room and up the stairs. Pausing a while to decide which room to take before finally carrying her towards his room. She laughed when he struggled with the door knob, so she had to reach down and open it herself.

"You could just put me down, you know," she said, a little embarrassed that she's feeling a fresh stirring of desire within her.

"I could," he said as he placed a kiss on her mouth. "But I don't want to."

They went at it twice more after that; once while he took her hard and fast against the door, and the other being a total 360 because it was back on the bed, sweeter and unhurried this time around. But each time was better and each time somehow makes it even harder to think about not being with him or her at some point, both in the physical and emotional sense.

Gendry was already asleep when Arya finally came out after sneaking into the bathroom. Before she crept back in, she stared at him for a while as he slept; noticing how attractive he looked lying there with nothing but his birthday suit on. She bit her thumb to keep herself from bursting with laughter because she was just that - really happy. Picking up his shirt and putting it on en route to the bed, she crawled back in and pulled the covers over a stark naked Gendry. Placing a kiss on the underside of his jaw before settling in, she noticed the framed photo on his bedside table. It was taken a few summers back, and she grinned at seeing how thin she was and how chubby he was. She ran a finger down the photo before placing it back on the table. With a sigh, she settled with her back pressed to his chest and his arms automatically finding their way around hers even in sleep.

* * *

The week rolled by fast and Arya found herself on the way to the party to meet up with Edric and the archery team guys. Her brothers, cousin and Joffrey were out climbing with their friends up at _The Wall_, while Gendry was out of town with his course mates for a little field research. Robert and Cersei were still at Storm's End, and Tommen was staying at Renly's. She has never felt so lonely in a huge house before, and it sucked that everyone was out while she was stuck at home. So at the last minute, she decided to go to the party and hoped that she'd at least have a fun night.

The party was in full swing by the time she got there. She found Edric in the game room, along with the rest of the archery team: Anguy, Lem, Harwin, Tom and Thoros. The rest, she knew by face, but she's never been introduced to any of them. Edric introduced them to her finally, and soon they were talking comfortably and laughing the night away. She had no problems hanging around with the guys, but she was also grateful that some of them brought their girlfriends with them so at least she wasn't the only female in the group.

By the time midnight came, she was a little tipsy but wise enough not to drink much because she's driving to and from the party. Plus, she's driving Gendry's car, so that's probably not a good idea if she still wants to live through the weekend.

Her phone buzzed a text message and she found out it was from Gendry.

_Gendry: You still at the party?_

_Arya: Yes. I'm leaving soon though._

_Gendry: Having fun?_

_Arya: Surprisingly, yes!_

_Gendry: Not too much fun, I hope :P_

_Arya: Not without you :P_

_Gendry: Have you had anything to drink?_

_Arya: Just a little. I know I'm driving, stupid._

_Gendry: Good girl. Drive safely._

_Arya: Will do!_

_Gendry: I love you, Arya._

_Arya: Bye, Gen!_

_Gendry: Arya…_

_Arya: Hehe. Just teasing. I love you, too._

Her phone battery died before she could wait if he's sending another response. With a shrug, she tucked her phone back into the pocket of her jeans, and jumped in surprise when she found a familiar face standing right in front of her.

"Nice to see you again, Arya Stark."

* * *

Catelyn stared at Ned as he tried his sons' cellphones once more. "Have they responded to any of your text messages, yet?"

Ned shook his head. "No. Arya said last night that Robb, Jon, Theon and Joff are going climbing with some friends up at _The Wall_."

Cersei bit her lip in nervousness. "I'll call Gendry now to ask if he's with Arya."

Ned exhaled loudly and said, "I can't get through Arya. Her battery's probably dead. But she did say she was going to a party tonight."

Robert took his phone and dialed Gendry's number, but it was out of coverage and so it kept going to his voicemail. "Why is it that when there's an emergency, no one can be reached through their cellphone?"

Ned looked at the clock and sighed. "It's past midnight now. I think we should all rest and continue tomorrow. In the meantime, leave messages for everybody to take extra care. These kids have to know that Ramsay Bolton is out of jail."


	36. Chapter 36

Joffrey stared at his cellphone for a few minutes before his brain actually worked. Physically numb by the day's events which involved wall climbing and a round of drinks with the guys afterwards, his mind couldn't properly register the words he just heard from his voicemail.

_"We've been contacting you all but couldn't get through. Ramsay Bolton is out of jail. Tell the Starks and Theon. Arya might be in danger. Best not to tell Gendry yet. I'll be the one to tell him."_

He knew why his father wanted to be the one to tell his brother and he understood why he wanted to be the one to do it. Gendry was almost always impulsive and illogical where Arya was concerned. Besides, he didn't want to be the one to bring him the bad news. He knows how Gendry gets when it comes to people he loves.

With a deep sigh and a pounding heart, he padded barefoot across his hotel room and walked out of the door without even a thought to what he was wearing. Worn jogging pants, a shirt and sans footwear, he walked towards the room across his and knocked. Hearing Robb's sharp reply, Joffrey turned the knob with slightly shaking hands and stepped in. He was surprised to find both Jon and Theon in the room, too, and was secretly relieved that it would be hitting three birds with one stone.

"So…I got a call from my dad…" Joffrey started.

He got cut off by Robb. "Let me guess…Ramsay?"

Joffrey closed his eyes and muttered a curse. "Oh thank god you already know. I didn't even know how I'd tell you all."

"How is that prick out of jail? He can't be out here after what he almost did to Arya," Theon said in all frustration. "How the fuck did he get out anyway?"

"You do know that he's the son of Roose Bolton, right?" Jon said in reply. "And Roose Bolton has contacts all over. I don't think we even have to ask how or why."

"That's fucked up reasoning," Theon said. "But totally logical, given the circumstances."

"Okay, right now, we need to stop asking the hows or whys of Bolton being out of jail, because we have more pressing matters to think about, like Arya," Robb said, raking his fingers through his dark curls. "I swear to god if he does anything to get back at us…"

"Does Gendry even know about this?" Jon asked Joffrey, who in reply shook his head.

"Dad said he'd do it. Honestly, I was relieved because I didn't want to be the one to do it."

"Good," Jon said. "He's got school stuff to think about and right now, getting him all worked up about Arya won't do him good. Won't do _anyone_ good," Jon said, correcting himself.

"We just need to call Arya so she knows she has to constantly be on her toes," Robb added. "She's at this party with Edric, right?" he said, grabbing his phone and started punching numbers.

They all waited in silence as Robb tried Arya's number. After several failed attempts, Robb chucked his phone on the bed in frustration. "Voicemail. Her battery's probably dead."

"Okay," Joffrey said, rubbing the back of his neck in a distracted manner. "Nobody should panic at this moment. There's still time to tell her tomorrow. It's not as if Ramsay would make an unexpected appearance at the party, right?"

The rest of them nodded half-heartedly, weighing Joffrey's words and finally seeing the logic to it. "Alright," Robb agreed. "Let's get some rest tonight, then I'm calling her again first thing tomorrow."

* * *

Arya's heart jumped to her throat when she came face to face with him.

"Sandor! Oh my god, how are you?" she said, giving him an awkward side-hug that surprised him.

Sandor's face was beet red when Arya let go shortly after. "I'm good. I transferred to another university, in case you didn't know."

Arya smiled. "Oh, of course I do. Sansa told me about it."

Sandor's face turned even more red. "Yeah…we've stayed in contact after she went back to the Vale. Well, I'm sure you know about it."

Arya laughed this time. "Of course. Nothing gets past me."

Sandor looked like he wanted to bolt out of there.

Arya's eyes widened. "No! I mean, I didn't mean _nothing gets past me_ in the _everything_ sense. I just meant my sister tells me stuff she wants me to know. No, wait…I mean she'd probably want me to know if you and her are still in contact, but I just meant she doesn't tell me stuff that she…I'm babbling right now, am I?"

Sandor gave out a deep, booming laugh. "It's okay, Arya. I understand what you're trying to say."

Arya smacked her forehead with her palm. "I feel stupid!"

Sandor lightly touched her arm. "It's okay, Arya. No need to feel stupid." Looking around and seeing a whole new set of faces, he said," I've seen these faces before but I don't know them, really. I know two of the guys here, so I'm wondering why you're here without the others?"

Arya figured that by _others_, he meant her brothers, her cousin and the Baratheons. "They went to _The Wall_, but Gendry's out of town for a project. They'll be back tomorrow, in case you want to drop by the house."

Sandor nodded. "Yeah, I could do that."

"I'll let the guys know!"

Sandor looked around and raised a hand to his friend from across the room. "I have to go, but I'll drop by tomorrow to see the guys. It was nice running into you."

Arya smiled. "You too, Sandor. Don't be a stranger!"

He turned to leave when he must have remembered something, turning right back around to face her. "Do you have a ride home? I can drive you back to the house in case you need it."

Arya shook her head. "No! Thanks for the offer, though. Gendry lent me his car so I'm good getting home tonight."

Despite the reassurance, he was still sporting a frown. "Will you be okay to drive home? You haven't had a drink, have you?"

Arya put up a hand, her index finger and thumb inches apart as if to show him how little she has had to drink. "I just had a teeny tiny drink but nothing to worry about. I'm good to drive home."

Sandor nodded once again. "Okay, but let me know once you've arrived safely at home. I don't really feel like getting ripped apart by your brothers and your wolves in case something happens to you…"

"Hey! It's all good! If I were incapable of driving myself home, I wouldn't even be standing here talking to you."

Sandor laughed at that. "You have a point there. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow, Arya."

With that he left a second time, but Arya felt good about seeing him there. Sandor is one of the types she wouldn't normally hang out with, but considering he's a friend of her brothers and her boyfriend and now Sansa's he's surpassed all the friendship tests she would have put out for him.

"You're friends with Clegane?" Edric asked, looking from the guy to Arya, a smile spreading across his face.

"Yes. He's friends with my brothers and the Baratheons. He's pretty cool, if you ask me," Arya replied with a grin.

Edric glanced at his watch. "It's almost half past one. Do you want me to follow you home? I could tail your car until you reach home safely."

Arya rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine. It's not as if I haven't driven myself to and from somewhere."

"Okay. But make sure you call me…or text…once you're home. I don't want Gendry chopping my head off for not taking care of you."

Arya sighed in exasperation. "Gendry's not going to be doing anything to anyone because he's not here and he's not the boss of me."

Edric raised both hands in surrender. "I can see that. Alright…drive safely."

* * *

It was past 2 am when Sandor got home. Pulling to a stop at his driveway, he turned the engine off and was about to step out when his cellphone rang. Glancing at the unregistered number on the screen, he answered the call warily and was given the surprise of his life.

"I saw you talking to the Stark bitch, you asshole."

Sandor ran his hands across his hair, squeezing his eyes shut as he suddenly felt the panic start to rise.

"Are you spying on me?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"Fuck off."

"No, _I_ will fuck your life ten times over, you hear me? You know what they say in prison? That it toughens you up, no matter how long or short your stay was? You will all pay for putting me in there."

"You deserved to be in there. And you still deserve to be in there, bro."

"Don't call me that. You and me? We're not bros. So watch your back, Clegane. I'll fuck your life over, and then Greyjoy's, the Starks and the Baratheons."

"You're not going to get away with this," Sandor said gruffly, although his heart was pounding so hard in his chest.

"No, wait. I'll fuck you over first and then Greyjoy, and then I'll let the Starks and Baratheons watch as I literally fuck that Stark bitch from here to the seven hells. Watch. Your. Back."

The phone line died before Sandor could say anything else. He saved the number on his phone, before getting out of the car quickly. He needed to let his friends know, and they needed to know about this quickly.

* * *

Arya woke up to a wet tongue licking the side of her face. With eyes still closed, she blindly reached out to her pet and rubbed behind her ears, hearing her soft growl. With much effort, she rolled over and peered at her bedside clock, groaning when she saw that it was only half past 7. With muttered curse, she buried her head under her pillow and purred as she buried herself deeper into the duvet.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

Arya sat up immediately, the blood rushing to her head making her cry out in pain. With one eye open, she found Gendry half sitting-half lying beside her on the bed, his arms crossed over his chest and a stupid grin plastered on his face. Arya grabbed one of the pillows and smacked him with it, making him yelp in protest.

"Hey! Watch the face!"

Arya hit him again, not one bit sorry that the pillow went straight to his face.

"Arya!"

"Well you deserve it! You scared the hell out of me, you idiot!"

Gendry rolled his eyes. "Can you just decide whether to call me stupid or an idiot because it can get confusing."

He got another smack for that.

"Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I won't scare you like that ever again!"

"Good!" Arya exclaimed. "Now get out. It's too early to annoy me."

Instead of leaving, his hands went to her waist, pulling her on top of him and nuzzling the side of her neck with kisses.

"Mmm…you smell so good."

"Gen…"

"Sshh. My morning hard-on's _very hard_ right now…" he said as he kept sucking on the skin of her neck, making Arya laugh softly.

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

They both froze, their breaths stopping for a moment as they waited in bated breath who comes visiting Arya so early in the morning.

"Arya? Honey, can I come in?"

Arya's instinct was to push Gendry off her bed, making him fall over the edge with a loud thump.

"Hon, are you alright? Can I come in?"

Gendry glared at her as he rubbed his ass. "What did you do that for?" he hissed.

Arya widened her eyes in warning. "It's your mother!" she hissed back. "Get under the bed!"

Gendry glared at her. "I'm not getting in there!"

"Arya? I'm coming in, okay?."

"Under! Now!"

"No!"

The door opened and in comes Cersei, seemingly dressed and ready to go. Without thought, Arya shoved Gendry's head lower, just to make sure he wouldn't be seen. Thankfully, he didn't protest any further and slinked under the bed.

"Good morning, honey," Cersei said, a sad smile on her face. "We just got in this morning, and unfortunately, I bring bad news for everyone."

Arya frowned. "What bad news?"

Cersei sat on the desk chair right across the bed, staring at Arya with sad eyes. "There's a bit of a problem with the Boltons."

"Dad already told us."

"Yes, but it's a whole different kind of problem."

"Should I be scared?"

Cersei chose not to directly answer the question, and instead, went straight on to explaining. "We got word from some contacts that Ramsay Bolton is out and about."

"But the fucker's in jail! How can he be out and about?"

Cersei and Arya were both startled at Gendry's sudden outburst. He emerged from under the bed, his face sporting a dark scowl that looked like he was about to murder someone.

"What are you doing under the bed?" Cersei asked in surprise.

"Stupid!" Arya muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Gendry ignored their reactions and went back to demanding an explanation. "Mom, what do you mean Bolton's out and about? When did he get out of jail?"

"Roose has money and contacts powerful enough to get his son out of jail. What are you doing under the bed?"

"Looking for…" Gendry struggled to explain. "Never mind, Mom. What are we going to do about Bolton? I'm going to punch his nose off his face when I see him!"

Cersei frowned. "You'll do no such thing! We're working on the Bolton problem, so all you have to do is to be on guard and stay away. You hear me, Gendry? Don't go looking for trouble, young man."

"He won't get to harm Arya, I'll make sure of that. I'll beat the shit out of him-"

"Don't make me say it again, Gendry! I mean it!" Cersei said, a little angry this time.

With a sigh, Gendry nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Good," Cersei said, turning around to leave but not without adding, "The next time you're going to fool around, make sure the door's locked."

* * *

Another month went by and fortunately, nothing unusual has happened in connection with Ramsay. Everyone was busy with finals week, and somehow they were thankful for it because it helped keep their mind off the Ramsay business. The stress and the pressure was starting to take its toll on Arya, though, because lately she'd been irritable and easily angered by the slightest things. Maybe it was the fact that everyone is always on guard and looking out for her that it's starting to annoy the heck out of Arya. She and Gendry would fight over the simplest things, so they end up not hanging out together much lately.

Arya was sitting on the breakfast nook, typing a report on her laptop when Gendry walked in to get water from the fridge. He glanced at Arya and noticed all the books strewn across the table.

Without looking up from her task, Arya said, "Your mom called and she asked if you could run out and fetch Tommen after his guitar lessons."

Gendry took out a bottle of water and slammed the fridge door shut. "I already told her, I can't pick up Tommen at _Jaqn's_. I have to meet up with my group to finish a report! Why can't Joffrey do it?"

Arya huffed. "Joffrey is at Sandor's for that project he needs help with, remember?"

"How about Theon? Your brothers?"

Arya rolled her eyes. "Tommen's _your_ brother. Why can't you pick him up? Besides, my brothers are neck-deep in their own school work."

Gendry stared at her as she typed furiously on the keyboard. "Well, can you be bothered to pick him up? I have to go now."

Arya slammed her laptop shut and stood abruptly. "You know what, fine. I'll just leave my work here for when I get back because, hey, it'll still be here waiting for me while I run errands that _you_ are supposed to run."

She walked angrily past him, dodging his hand as he tried to grab her by the arm.

"I'm sorry, okay! But I already told Mom that I can't pick up Tommen today because I'm rushing stuff for school and I have to meet the guys, like, ten minutes ago!"

"Then leave, if you have to. I'm picking your brother up because you can't be bothered to do so."

"Fuck it, Arya!" he said, rushing to catch up with her as she grabbed Jon's car keys and started walking towards the door. "What are you doing?"

"Picking someone's brother up because he can't be arsed into doing so!"

"This fight is stupid! Why are we even fighting in the first place?"

"I don't know," she said as she got into the driver's seat. "Um, maybe because you're being an ass?"

Gendry's face grew dark with anger. "You know what? Okay, get out of the car. I'll pick him up myself."

Arya revved the engine up before Gendry could even walk across to where his car was parked. "No, I'm picking him up so you might as well go to your group and do whatever it was you're supposed to do."

Without bothering to hear his response, she drove down the driveway and onto the street, leaving a fuming Gendry behind.

* * *

He'd been following them.

He watched as she walked into _Jaqn's House of Music_ and emerged later on with a beaming Tommen by her side. She looked so pretty with her dark hair loose, the loose curls bouncing as she walked. She and the boy were talking, but even if she had a smile on her face, he noticed that it didn't quite reach her eyes. She looked sad and a bit angry, come to think of it.

He took another swig of his beer. How many has he had by now? Three, four cans? It wasn't even dark yet but he's already started his little pity party as he watched the Starks and Baratheons go about their daily business. He's never stalked anyone before, but now that he's sitting here watching the Stark girl, he thought he quite enjoyed watching her from afar and studying her every move. She's something he knew he'd never get his hands on, what with those fucking Starks and that Baratheon boyfriend of hers. They were his friends too, but they've turned their snooty backs to him and put him in jail.

If they think this has a happy ending, they haven't been paying attention.

He watched as Arya drove away from there, and he quickly but discreetly followed a short distance away. What he was doing, he didn't know. He just wanted to watch the Stark girl for a while, that's all.

* * *

"Are you okay, Arya?" Tommen asked as he studied her closely.

She decided to drive out to hers and Gendry's favorite spot overlooking the city. She just wanted to clear her head a bit before going back home. It's been a pretty stressful week, and all these plus the Ramsay thing has been taking a toll on them all. Finally realizing that her fight with Gendry earlier was probably stupid and petty, she decided to talk to him tonight and get things sorted out. Maybe they just needed to let off steam, and that argument was probably the trigger point.

"I'm okay," she said, forcing a smile onto her face. She was sitting on one of the old, cement benches when Tommen joined her.

Tommen didn't buy it, though, but he decided to let it go. "Jaqn gave me a new piece to study tonight. I can play it for you."

Arya's smile was genuine this time. "Okay. Let's hear it, bud."

Tommen grinned. "I just need to get the music sheet in the car. I'll be right back."

Arya watched as he walked back to the car, opening the back door and crawled inside to get his bag and guitar. After a few minutes, he emerged with his guitar and a few sheets of white paper that she makes out to be the sheet music.

The wind blew a little, making Tommen lose is grasp on the papers. With a furious cry, he put his guitar down and ran to catch the papers that were now strewn across the area. She was about to stand when she heard tires screeching, and was horrified when she saw the car heading straight towards Tommen.

"Tommen!" she shrieked in horror as she saw the younger boy try to get away from the car and its crazed driver.

It was too late. The driver must have lost control of the wheel because the next thing she knew, she was watching a slow motion of a scene where a lunatic driver hits a boy and sends him flying a few feet away from the area. Except, it wasn't a movie and this was very real.

Arya ran towards Tommen and noticed as the driver stumbled out of the car in his drunken state. The shock Arya felt quickly turned into anger because she was looking right at an equally shocked Ramsay Bolton, who looked intoxicated enough to know what he was doing.

"What did you do?" she screamed all the same, as she checked Tommen's unmoving body. She could see his chest rise and fall, and was thankful that he's alive. With shaking hands, she fished her cellphone out of her pocket and called for help.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: 3rd to the last chapter. Thank you, if you're still reading this. You've all been great...& it's been a ride. :)**

* * *

Arya hated hospitals.

She hated the white walls and floors because they unnerved her. It felt as if it was so clean and pure, which was the total opposite of what the place was meant for. The smells from inside made her want to throw up. The smell of meds and disinfectant mingled with the smell of illness and death.

After hitching a ride with the paramedics, she tried calling Gendry but it went straight to voicemail. Fresh from a fight, she hesitated at first but knew she had to do it. Tommen is his brother and Gendry has the right to know. Petty quarrels between boyfriends and girlfriends are nothing compared with delivering bad news to a family member. Next, she tried calling Joffrey, but there was no answer. She decided on calling Robert and Cersei last, but they were both unavailable as well. Finally, she got through Jon's number. They were still on their way back from the trip, but her brothers promised that they would be there, and that they would try contacting the rest.

"You look like you should head home and rest."

Arya looked up from her seat and saw Edric standing there with a paper bag in his left hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

"Hey," she whispered. "Thanks for coming. I didn't know who to call anymore when I couldn't contact the others."

"It's okay, Arya. I'm glad you called me," he said, taking the seat beside hers.

Arya rubbed her hands over her face. She was still feeling dazed and confused over what happened. "I feel like this is my fault."

Edric took her hand in his and said, "Arya, stop it. It's not your fault. It's not Tommen's. If there's anyone who should pay for it, it's Ramsay Bolton."

Arya groaned loudly. "Seven hells! I haven't even thought about checking with the cops if they've found him yet."

"I could do that. I'll make calls, so try not to worry so much. "Here," he said, thrusting the cup of coffee in her hand. "You look like you need the boost."

Arya took the coffee and mumbled her thanks. "I think I need booze instead of a boost."

Edric chuckled. "No you don't. You're not much of a drinker anyway."

Arya laughed softly. "You know me too well."

"What time are your brothers coming in?"

Arya shrugged as she took a sip of the hot liquid. "In a couple of hours, I suppose. They're on their way back from the trip."

"And the Baratheons?"

"I couldn't get through them, but Joff's probably been informed because he's with Jon, Robb and Theon."

"Gendry?"

Arya shrugged a second time. "He's not picking up. We kind of…got into a fight before it happened."

Edric raised his brows but chose not to say anything. Arya was in too much distress over Tommen that he felt it wasn't the right time to discuss her problem with Gendry. Without anything better to say, he stood from his seat and asked, "I'm going to get something to eat. Do you want anything?"

Arya shook her head. "No, thanks."

"I'm getting you something to eat anyway," he replied with a smile.

"I know you will, Edric. Thanks anyway."

"Still getting you something."

Arya laughed this time. "Okay, okay! Anything you get will be fine. Thank you."

When Edric left, she pulled out her phone from her jeans pocket and sighed. Nothing. The wait was killing her. She didn't know how the Baratheons would react to the news. And considering Tommen is a minor and under her care at that time, she could only imagine the worst reaction from them. And she wouldn't blame them if they threw her out of the house. They've been nothing but kind to her and her family and she ends up getting their youngest son hurt because of Ramsay's need to get back at her.

"Don't think too much or you'll get wrinkles."

Arya was startled out of her thoughts when she saw Sandor standing there with a small smile on his face. She stood and hugged him, she didn't know what made her do it, but maybe because he's the one person aside from the Starks and Baratheons who knew about the incident with Ramsay. The hug Sandor gave her was awkward, but it felt welcoming still. He was patting her back like he would a lost puppy, and Arya laughed as she pulled away.

"I'm sorry," she said as she stepped back. "I just needed that since the time I stepped out of the ambulance."

Sandor raised his hand. "It's okay, Arya. I understand why."

Arya introduced Edric to Sandor when the former returned carrying a bag of food and some couple of sodas. They shared the food, eating quietly as they tried to avoid discussing Ramsay even for just a while.

"The cops are out looking for him," Sandor said in between bites of his sandwich. "I hope they find him asap, or I'm thinking things could get even more worse than it already is."

Arya shuddered at the thought. "I just don't know how to face Robert and Cersei. It's all my fault. I should have just driven home instead of bringing Tommen out to that spot."

Edric turned to Sandor and said, "Can you please tell her that she's not to blame for all this? I've told her so many times already."

Sandor frowned. "He's right, Arya. If there's anyone to blame here, it's Bolton. Stop beating yourself up over this."

Arya sighed deeply. "It's just that-"

"Are you the one who brought Tommen Baratheon here?"

They all turned to look at the doctor as he walked up to them. "I'm Dr. Selmy. Tommen just got out of surgery and he's brought straight to the recovery room for now before we send him up to his room. Are his parents around?"

Arya stepped up and said, "I'm sorry, they're on their way. But I was the one who was with him during the accident and when they brought him in."

Dr. Selmy nodded. "He's in recovery right now, but I'll be back to check if his parents are around."

Arya grabbed his arm as he turned to leave. "Please, Dr. Selmy. I need to know how he is. Will he be alright?"

The doctor studied her for a while before answering. "He will be out of the recovery room in half an hour. If his parents are still not around, I'll come get you. I'll explain to you when we get there."

* * *

Gendry waved as his friend drove away. He was beyond exhausted and was thankful that he didn't have to drive all the way back from out of town. They got their uni work done and now he can finally relax at home.

And think about Arya and their little fight.

With a sigh, he walked up the driveway and was almost to the door when Joff's SUV parked up front. His brother and the Starks got out of the vehicle, their faces masked with worry.

"Have you heard from Arya?" Robb asked, pausing in front of him before fishing his phone out of his pocket to check for messages.

Gendry shook his head. "No. My phone battery's dead and I haven't recharged it yet. What's going on?"

Joffrey gently grabbed his arm and said, "It's Tommen…it's bad, Gen…"

Gendry's entire being seemed to go on alert all of a sudden. He grabbed his brother's wrist and said, "What happened, Joffrey?"

Jon placed a hand on Gendry's shoulder and said as calmly as possible, "A drunk Ramsay lost control of the wheel and ran over Tommen."

"WHAT?! Where did this happen?" Gendry cried out in anger.

"Arya's at the hospital right now and she's waiting for us," Jon explained. "We need to go over there now. Your parents are on their way too."

"I'll fucking kill Ramsay Bolton," Gendry said as they walked back to Joff's SUV. "I'm going to skin that bastard alive, don't say I won't do it!"

"Gendry..." Theon said in an attempt to calm him. "That guy's crazy. Don't go thinking about doing something heroic for Tommen now. The police are out there looking for him."

"Heroic?" Gendry spat out with a sarcastic laugh. "What I have in mind is hardly heroic."

"All the more reason to leave this to the authorities," Robb said. "Remember, Bolton's a little unstable at the moment. I don't think his mind works on logic and reasoning at this time."

"Don't do anything stupid, bro," Jon repeated in a firm tone. "I mean it."

* * *

"Will he ever walk again?"

Cersei asked Dr. Selmy as they stood beside Tommen's hospital bed. The boy was still asleep; looking frail with all the tubes stuck to him and the machines beeping continuously to indicate his condition. The rest of the group were scattered around the room as they listened in on the conversation.

"He will be able to walk again, but not without physical therapy," Dr. Selmy explained. "The good news is, his vital signs are okay. Not good, but okay. Heart rate and blood pressure are all normal although occasionally rising, so we have to keep him under close monitoring. But he might wake up soon, so it's best if someone stays here with him."

"Of course," said a tearful Cersei.

"I'll let you know if anything else comes up, but for now, we just wait for Tommen to wake up."

Robert held his hand out for a handshake. "Thank you, Doctor. Please keep us posted."

As soon as the doctor left, the room fell into an awkward silence. The Baratheons were standing around Tommen's bed, watching his chest rise and fall and listening to the beeping sound of the machines. The Starks were huddled in one corner, afraid to interrupt a very private moment between them.

"Ramsay Bolton's going to pay for this," Gendry said through gritted teeth. "That fucker's going to pay for what he did to my brother!"

"Leave the authorities to this, do you understand me?" Robert said to his eldest son. "You're not going to do anything stupid because of this."

"He's a psycho," Joffrey said with a shake of his head. "How can he do this to Tommen?"

"That's what he is," Gendry replied. "He's a psycho & he deserves what's coming to him."

Robert sighed deeply. "I understand your anger, son. I'm probably twice as angry as you are, but I'm begging you to stay out of this. I don't want you to end up sharing a cell with that Bolton kid, do you hear me?"

Without a word, Gendry turned around and sauntered towards the door. "I'm going for a walk."

Arya watched as he walked out of the room, the door shutting loudly behind him. Turning to her brothers, she said in a whisper, "I'll be right back."

She scanned the length of the hallway but she couldn't find him. It was only when she got to the hospital lobby that she found him walking out of the entrance, his hands tucked firmly in his pockets and his shoulders hunched in a tensed manner. Arya ran quickly to catch up with him, and he didn't say a word when she fell into step beside him. It was only when she noticed that they were in a park near the hospital when Gendry stopped and sat on the grass.

"Gendry, I'm sorry," Arya said as she took the space beside him. "I should have brought him home after his lessons. I shouldn't have-"

"Yes," Gendry replied in a terse tone. "You should have. But I don't blame you. Bolton's crazy."

Arya closed her eyes as she took in his bitter words. "I'm sorry. If I could turn back time, I would just drive straight home. He would probably be awake and well if only I had done that."

Gendry said nothing after that and Arya was feeling the tension in the air.

"Don't do anything stupid, Gen," she pleaded.

Gendry snorted. "How many times have people told me that today? I've fucking lost count."

"I know you. Your love for Tommen and anger over Ramsay will cloud your judgement. It won't end good if you do what you're thinking about doing."

Gendry finally turned to her, his eyes filled with anger. "You're not my mother."

"Gen…"

"Leave me alone, please. I need to think."

With that, she stood and watched him for a while before giving him the time alone he needed.

* * *

Arya dove facedown onto the mattress when she finally got to her room. It was half past midnight when they reached the house, Cersei being the first one to watch over Tommen. She hasn't spoken to any of the Baratheons since she told the story earlier that day, and she was already feeling antsy about it.

She was about to drift off when her phone rang. Seeing her father's face on the screen, she heaved a sigh and took the call.

"Hi, Dad."

"Arya? Are you home now?"

"Yes, Dad," she replied. "We just got in ten minutes ago."

"How's Tommen?"

"He's still unconscious, otherwise he's okay."

"How are you?"

Arya sighed. "Still a litte shaken, but otherwise good."

Ned was silent for a moment.

"Arya, your mother and I have decided that it might be best if you come home to us at Storm's End. We'd feel safer with you here with us."

"What about Jon? Robb? Theon?" Arya asked, her voice a little shaky. "Should they come home too?"

"I'm worried about you all, but right now you're my concern. I'm booking your flight to Storm's End. I've already spoken with Robert."

Arya's eyes flashed with anger. "And you didn't even ask me, Dad? What about school? What about Tommen?" Her voice suddenly broke when she said, "What about Gendry?"

Ned sighed. "Things won't change. It's just that you're going to be here with us."

"No, Dad. Give me the rest of the year and I'll go to Storm's End. Just not now, please. Gendry needs me."

"And we need you here, Arya."

How can a daughter say no to that? She was feeling torn between wanting to stay for the Baratheons…for Gendry…but this is her dad asking her. If it were her mom, she would have fought from hell to back. But Ned practically begging her is breaking Arya's heart to a million pieces.

"Okay, Dad."

She heard her dad's sigh of relief upon her agreement. "I'd feel safer with you here. I love you, princess. I'll see you soon."

Arya choked back tears. "I love you too, Dad. See you soon."

The tears came as soon as she ended the call. Burying her head under her pillow, she cried for Tommen…for Cersei and Robert…for her family…for Gendry.

Can this day get any worse?

She was about to curl up and go to sleep when her phone beeped to signal an incoming text. Without moving an inch, her hand crawled lazily towards the edge of the bed where her phone was lying.

_Ramsay's been arrested. He's under the custody of KLPD, so at least we're sleeping soundly tonight. Get some rest. Tommen will be okay. – Robb_

Placing her phone on the bedside table, she fell asleep worrying about Tommen and her impending departure to Storm's End.

* * *

**Gendry & Arya (*whispers* and smut) in the next chapter. I promise. Just hang in there. :)**


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Hello! Sorry for not updating in a long time. And without further ado, here's the 3rd to the last chapter of this story. Sorry if it's not as good as expected, but the last 2 chapters will wrap everything up. This is just to make up for the lack of happy Gendry/Arya in the previous ones and for not posting earlier.**

**Just a bit of warning, it's filled with cheese and smut. I think it's a bit more graphic than the previous smut chapters or i don't know, but if you're not into that, I suggest that you skip those parts if not the entire chapter.**

**Enjoy **

* * *

Gendry pulled the wiper away from the windshield before running the sponge across the glass. He watched as the soapy water ran from the top until it flowed straight onto the engine cover. This was the second time in three days he's washed his car, and it wasn't even dirty. He just needed to do something to distract himself other than keeping Tommen company in his room, working out with Joffrey and going to his last few classes before break starts . He needed this; he needed the distraction because Arya was leaving in two days and he still hasn't wrapped his head around that fact.

Hell, he hasn't even spoken to Arya in days. He rarely saw her since Tommen came home two weeks ago. She was avoiding him, and he couldn't blame her. He wanted to be left alone, and she was just giving him the time to process everything. But that didn't stop him from missing her so much he wanted to fling himself off a cliff. He didn't even know why he was doing this to them. Maybe it was his fear that one day she would leave him, and that day looms near. He's spending his days living a nightmare, and only Arya can pull him back out of it.

As if on cue, he saw her walk slowly towards him, looking nervous and unsure. His heart raced twice as fast because he missed her so much. Balling his hands into fists to keep them from reaching out to her, he stayed where he was and watched her approach.

"Hey," he said once she was within reach.

"Hey," she replied, smiling a little nervously. "Are you busy today?"

He frowned. "I don't think I have anything scheduled for today. Mom's looking after Tommen so I have the day free. Why?"

Arya exhaled loudly, although he thinks she didn't know it. "I just wanted to kidnap you for the weekend. Would that be okay?"

He studied her pretty face, watching the worry spread across it. He managed to give her a small smile before replying. "There's nothing more than I'd like than for you to kidnap me."

Arya laughed softly. "Consider yourself kidnapped, then."

* * *

"Where exactly are we going?"

Arya laughed softly as she stepped on the gas pedal a little harder. She was happy she was able to make him take a spur-of-the-moment plane ride to Winterfell. Now, straight from the airport, she was driving down a long stretch of road, making Arya feel happy for the first time in days. "It wouldn't be kidnapping if I tell you where I'm taking you."

He grinned widely, possibly the first time in weeks. He shifted a little in his seat so he could watch her as she drove. Her hair was windblown, her cheeks flushed, her face relaxed for the first time in weeks too. He loved seeing her with her guard down, because he found that a relaxed and carefree Arya resulted to a relaxed and carefree Gendry.

"Just trying my luck," he said with a chuckle.

"Unlucky for you, your luck just ran out."

"Kinda figured that."

Arya's eyes switched from the road to his for a few seconds before she turned back to the road again. "You seem happy."

"That's because I am happy."

She nodded. "Tommen's doing pretty good lately. And I'm glad the accident didn't do anything to permanently damage his legs. Your brother's a fighter."

"He is," he said with a nod. "I'm very happy Tommen's recovering quite well. But that's not really the reason why I'm happy as a motherfucker."

She threw her head back and laughed. "You have a dirty mouth."

"That's not even the kind of dirty you've heard me say, Stark," he said with a smirk.

She felt her cheeks grow hot. She cleared her throat as she straightened the rearview mirror. Gendry found it extremely amusing because it didn't even need to be straightened at all. "Why are you embarrassed?" he asked with raised brows.

"I know what kind of mouth you have…and I'm not talking about cursing," she mumbled in reply.

Gendry wanted to say something else but spared her from further embarrassment. He shifted back in his seat and leaned towards the door. He closed his eyes and mumbled, "Wake me up when we get there."

"You dick! Are you going to make me drive while you sleep there without a care in the world?"

He opened one eye and said, "Well we certainly can't drive at the same time, can we? So I'm going to sleep while you drive us to wherever you're taking me."

Arya rolled her eyes. "Can I at least turn the radio on?"

"No."

"Fuck you, Waters."

"You already have."

"Whatever. Go to sleep."

"I'm about to do that."

She let out a chuckle this time. Her right hand held a loose grip on the wheel, while she leaned her left elbow on the open window. She missed these banters with him; missed the way he threaded his fingers through hers and squeezed them tightly. Missed the way he tugged the ends of her hair. Missed how his playful nips turn into a full-blown kiss, making her drunk with everything he's giving her. It's been a rough few days for them both, but not as rough as it had been for the Baratheons. Because of that, she chose to give him some space until he was able to process everything that has happened.

But now, she wanted to spend her remaining days with him before she had to leave for Storm's End. If it were up to her, she would stay with him at King's Landing, but her Dad practically begged her to come be with them. How could she say no to _the_ Eddard Stark? But it didn't mean she was happy about leaving.

After almost an hour of driving, she pulled up in front of a large, modern house. It was one of the Stark's vacation homes but it was Arya's favorite. She turned off the engine and watched as Gendry stirred a little but was still asleep. A smile ghosted her lips as she stared at his long, thick lashes framing his closed lids; his lips parting a little as he sighed in his sleep. His hair was beautifully messy, and Arya had to ball her fists to keep herself from raking her fingers through his tousled hair. After a while, she placed a hand on his arm and gently nudged him awake.

"We're here."

He opened his eyes, seemingly disoriented at first until his eyes were able to focus on the house up front. "Where are we?"

She tried to ignore the fact that his voice sounded insanely husky and sexy. She mentally shook her head and said to herself that there would be time for this tonight. But for now, she wanted to do just about anything to keep that smile on his face.

"Arya?"

She blinked a couple of times before she could answer. "We're at my family's lake house. It's just an hour away from Winterfell."

He rubbed his hands over his face. "I slept for an hour? Jesus Christ, no wonder my back aches like hell." He looked around as he stepped out of the car. "It's nice that your family keeps it properly maintained."

She nodded before walking towards the house. He joined her a second later; feeling his fingers snake into hers and squeezing them a bit. She looked up at him and smiled, making Gendry grin wider. She showed him around the house before leading him towards the back. He literally gasped at the sight of a lake, his hand letting go of hers for a bit as he stared at the setting sun casting an orange glow over the lake's glassy surface.

"Out of all our vacation homes, this is my favorite," she said as she stood beside him. "It's nice, isn't it?"

"It's beautiful," he whispered. "Thank you."

"I need my happy Gendry back."

"I am happy now."

"Then my work here is done."

Gendry chuckled as he pulled her towards him, kissing her temple as his arms snaked around her small form. "Thank you. I love that you're thinking about my happiness when for the past few weeks, I've failed to keep Arya Stark happy."

She buried her face into his neck and murmured, "I understood why."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"No, I'm sorry for the cheese," he laughed. "Speaking of cheese, where do we get food? I'm starving and it's only 3 o'clock."

She smirked before turning around to open the car trunk. He peered over her shoulder and found bags of food.

"You little sneak," he said with a chuckle. When did you even find the time to get food?"

She unloaded the bags and handed them to him before closing the trunk. "Some I brought from home, the others I got from the airport while you were either asleep again or taking a piss."

"That's so Stark ninja," he said with a laugh.

"I know," she replied with a laugh.

They walked back into the house and left the bags of food in the kitchen. Then he followed her as she walked up the stairs and entered one of the biggest rooms in the house.

"This is my favorite one," she said, dropping her bags by the foot of the bed and waited until he did the same.

The room was painted in light blues and whites. A large bed was positioned in the middle of the room, making it the focal point. A few photos of the Starks hung from the wall, and Gendry made a mental note to check them out later. But the one to pique his interest was the floor-to-ceiling window that showed the lake down below. It was even better from this view. He wanted nothing more to do than jump in the water, but for now, he was perfectly content to be trailing Arya like a lost puppy.

"Cool, huh?"

He grinned when he looked at her. "Very."

"The view makes you want to jump in there, right?" she asked with a grin on her face.

He laughed. "It's like you read my mind."

"There'll be time for that later," she said, walking slowly towards him with a knowing grin on her face. "Much…later."

His throat immediately felt dry. It's been a while since they've made love, and Arya's teasing mood was not helping things. He knew he needed to keep his control otherwise they wouldn't be having this conversation right now.

"Are you just going to stand there and do nothing?" she asked, her brows furrowing in curiosity.

Gendry had his hands on her hips, but he kept a little distance between them. Their bodies were not quite touching, which is probably why Arya seemed a little frustrated right now.

"What's wrong?" she asked, pulling away from him.

He sighed and pulled her back in. "I don't have much control right now."

She frowned at him. "Maybe I don't want your stupid control right now."

"I'm hungry."

She laughed this time. "It's always about food, isn't it, Waters?"

"Feed me first and I'll satisfy other needs later," he said, taking her hand into his and headed towards the kitchen.

Arya tried to hide her smile, but inside she was all nerves. It has been a while for them and she knew perfectly well what's going to happen tonight. She both loved it and at the same time she felt extremely nervous. She didn't know why; it wasn't as if it was their first time. But their time together was running out and she didn't want their last few moments to end.

She shook her head and let herself be led wherever he went.

She watched as he took out several containers of food and happily opened several of them. They ate in silence; enjoying this alone time together. They talked about anything and everything, except her pending departure to Storm's End. Later on, they went out back and sat there, staring at the water as the sun cast its final orange glow before darkness would soon take over.

"Wanna go for a swim before it gets totally dark?"

He nodded slowly. "Yeah. Come on, we're jumping in together."

She almost stumbled when he tugged her arm. "Wait! I'll go get changed first!"

Gendry chuckled before giving her a short kiss. "Changed? Who needs to change out of these clothes. Just jump into the water because honestly, I don't really care about anything right now!"

He puts his arms around a screaming Arya and carries her over his shoulder, laughing as she tried to free herself from his grip.

"Put me down, Waters! Or I swear to God I'll-NO!"

Her words were cut short as he jumped into the water, clothes and all. She tried to kick herself free but felt his arm pull her with him from underwater and break into the surface. She pushed him away, sputtering and coughing, while she heard him laugh so loud it was actually disrupting the silence.

"You little piece of shit, Gendry Waters! I'm going to fucking kill you!" Arya said, swimming away from him and back to the edge.

But Gendry was faster and in no time, he had his arms around her waist, pulling her back to him. "Where are you going?"

"You're lucky I left my phone upstairs, you assbutt! Or else you're going to buy me a new one! I can't believe you just-"

Her voice got caught in her throat when his lips pressed onto hers. It was their first kiss after weeks of not talking, and it felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. His hands cradled her head, tilting it a little so he could kiss her properly and deeply this time. He felt her tongue sneak between his lips, and he opened them to let her tongue in. The kiss turned even more heated when he felt her arms wind themselves around his neck; her fingers playing at the hair on his nape, making him moan.

"Come on," he said, treading towards the water's edge and pulling her with him. "Let's continue this somewhere else."

Arya shivered as they got out of the water, their hands still clasped tightly together as they almost ran up the flight of stairs and back into the bedroom. He went in first, walking to the opposite side of the room and stood there shaking the water out of his hair. He looked up to see her watching him by the doorway, a small smile forming on her face. Feeling a little bolder, she started taking her wet clothes off as she slowly walked towards him. She held back a laugh when she saw his Adam's apple bob up and down his throat as he watched her cross the room towards him. Finally, she stood there fully naked, knowing his eyes were looking everywhere but at her face.

"Are you just going to stand there and watch me make a fool of myself?" she asked, feeling a little self-conscious now.

His only answer was a growl before his lips crashed back onto hers. She met his kiss like she did earlier in the lake; although this one felt hungrier with want and filled with need that she almost cried because of it. He led them towards the bed, his hands threading themselves through her hair as the kiss turned more fervent. With quick movements, he switched their position so he was now on top and she was beneath him; her arms winding around his neck as she clung to keep her body closer to his.

"More," she whispered as his mouth placed soft nips from her earlobe down the length of her neck. Looking up at her and smiling, he went back to kissing the soft, white skin of her neck before sucking a little where her throbbing pulse was. He chuckled in reaction.

His lips moved lower. And when his mouth latched onto first one breast and then the next, she arched her back and cried out in pleasure. His hands held her hips, holding her to him as her fingers clutched onto his already tousled hair.

"Fuck, Gen…" she rasped out, pulling herself up a bit before slumping back onto the mattress.

He ignored her as his mouth dared to go lower, traveling down the smoothness of her belly and finally, finally down to where he wanted his mouth to be.

"Seven hells…" she mumbled a curse. "That fucking mouth…shit…"

He felt her alternate between writhing and cursing, and Gendry tried not to think about how hard he was at that moment. He kissed and he sucked and he nipped her there, and he knew she was so close to losing it. He finally pulled back, laughing softly as she grumbled in annoyance and tried to pull his head back down.

"Get back there, you bull, and stop bullshitting me!" she cried out in frustration.

He threw his head back and laughed before crawling back up, placing a kiss on her temple. "Patience, my lady."

"You're so annoying and I hate you."

"No, you don't," he said with a smirk, as he finally knelt between her legs. "I missed you so fucking much, Arya."

"Not as much as I missed you," she said before she gasped in surprise and pleasure when he finally slid in. "Fuck, Gen…"

He started it slow, teasing her a little until she went crazy and threatened to leave him hanging. He would have laughed at the hilarity of it, until she teased him back by bucking her hips to meet his slow thrusts.

Gendry lost all his self-control and finally let go.

Their movements became fast and hard; as if the fact that this might be their last time together made the last shred of control snap and they had to succumb to the pure carnality of it. She wanted it fast and she wanted it hard, and he gave it to her. He sought for deep kisses and the sweet pain of her nails across his back and she gave them all. He groaned and he cursed; she sighed and she cried out; but they understood what they all meant because no words could even describe what was happening at that moment.

He knew she was close to coming, and he thrust harder and faster and deeper, making her cry out louder. She was clutching at his arms, and he reveled in the feel of her nails digging into his skin, because he knew she was past the point of knowing what she was doing. When her orgasm came, he let his own come at the same time as hers did, and he almost cried at the pure pleasure of it. He threw his head back and growled deep in his throat. Amidst all these, he saw Arya's back arch as far from the mattress as possible. He gave a few last thrusts before they collapsed against each other in a tangle of arms, legs and limbs.

When he at last found the strength to lift his head, he gave a lazy smile and said, "Hi…"

She laughed softly before touching the hair the fell over his eyes. "Hi."

He leaned his chin over her flat stomach and sighed. "Arya…"

Somehow, the shift in moods told her he was about to mention her impending departure. "Gendry…don't…please. Not now, babe."

He kissed her stomach before lifting himself over her and placed a proper kiss on her lips. "I love you, Arya. No matter what happens, you know I love you."

She tried to fight back the tears but realized she couldn't. With a strangled sob, she said, "I know, Gen. I love you too." He was about to say something when she placed her fingers over his mouth to silence him. "Just shut up and kiss me. I don't want to think about anything right now. Keep me distracted."

And for the entire night, he did just that.


End file.
